KNA Structural Engineers is honored to be part of Westgroup Designs‘ team designing Santa Ana Unified School District’s new leading-edge INDA Academy, which will center around their “DREAMS” curriculum (Design, Research, Engineering, Arts, Math, and Science). This exciting project will convert an abandoned, 2-story 17,635 square-foot office building into a modern and innovative K-6th grade learning facility equipped to handle 225 students.
Due to the current building being very outdated and not meeting current seismic codes, the existing window wall system will be replaced with a combination of perimeter wood shear walls paired with new, low-e, insulated operable windows and a lightweight metal skin. This cost-effective combination allows for the reuse of existing foundations while creating a new envelope that contributes to the project exceeding Title-24 performance requirements by 30%. The structure will also gain an elevator as well as a terrace equipped with retractable walls.
In addition to the structural upgrades, the new facility will also be much more sustainable, housing a highly efficient SEER 15 HVAC system that drastically improves indoor air quality and utilizing LED lighting with digital vacancy and daylight sensing controls throughout.
While construction won’t be completed until 2022, this project has already won an Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Orange County Chapter at their Design Awards Gala which was held on October 1st, 2020.
Our team is eagerly working towards completion of the design phase and looking forward to seeing construction bring Westgroup’s vision to fruition! This inventive, modern school is sure to bring value to its surrounding community for decades to come.
Project Owner: Santa Ana Unified School District
Architect: Westgroup Designs
Westgroup Designs Team: Ken Ong (Designer), Michael Cecconi (Project Manager)
KNA Team: Josh Randall (Principal), Travis Culp (Project Manager), James Donahue (Design Engineer)
Project Size: 25,000 sf
Construction Estimate: $10,800,000
Read more about this project from Westgroup Designs.