CCFC 2022

The 29th Annual CCFC Conference in Sacramento was the place to be this week. Sessions and speakers focused on our ever-evolving business of community college facilities planning, including presentations on the burgeoning student housing movement, as well as impending building code, funding, and legislative changes. Aedis’ John Diffenderfer, Joe Vela, AIA, Michelle Netzley, Kaitlin Bailey, and Eve-Marie Olimpo joined other professionals and community college representatives in a collective effort to stay prepared for the future, and plan how we can work together to leave a #PositiveLastingImpact.

CMAA 5 Things to Know About Fabrication

Join Construction Management Association of America (CMAA)’s industry leaders, including our own Joe Vela, AIA in answering key questions about pre-fabrication in school construction. What are the pros and cons? How can a builder and designer collaborate to optimize the value and function of a new building? FLINT’s John Stump and Gilroy Unified School District’s Paul Nadeau join the discussion as they dive into the 5 Things to Know About Prefabrication. This virtual event will include conversation and perspectives from all interested parties (The Owner, the Architect and the Contractor) and cover lessons learned during a recent campus replacement project. Please “virtually” join us at 8:30 am on Thursday, June 8th for this unique program. To register, please use this link.  https://lnkd.in/g44w4q8M

Five Stickiest Changes to Education

Prospect High School Completion

The new classroom project on the Prospect High School campus in Saratoga is complete, and students will return in the Fall to experience a transformed campus, one that offers them an environment that has been planned to enhance academic performance and overall wellness.

The students will enjoy classroom learning suites that include the latest AV equipment, flexible furnishings, and a makerspace with a large roll-up door for adaptable indoor-outdoor functionality. The project also includes several next-generation science labs. The two single-story buildings embrace an expansive courtyard, made up of several informal outdoor learning environments, seamlessly connecting the addition to the existing campus, and acting as a celebratory link to the athletics complex, just beyond.

Early in the design process, the District recognized the importance of incorporating biophilic elements into the new addition. Research indicates that design with a connection to nature in mind will support cognitive performance and physiological and emotional wellness. This led Aedis Architects to expose the #CrossLaminatedTimber (#CLT) roof panels and to include large windows that let in an abundance of daylight, and views to the outdoor courtyard full of trees, boulders, and grassy knolls—rich in natural materials, colors, and textures. Many concepts that are proven to enhance the high school student experience have been introduced in this project, and the outcomes will inform the development of ongoing and future work on Campbell Union High School District campuses.

We were honored to partner with Campbell Union High School District as we leave a #PositiveLastingImpact on Prospect High School.

Woodworks Aedis Feature

In their most recent newsletter, WoodWorks featured Aedis Architects and our passion for Mass Timber design. The article spotlights an interview with John Diffenderfer and Afsha Ali, AIA. In it, they share Aedis’ vision for TimberQuest, a pre-engineered #MassTimber building solution to house all manners of educational programs for California schools. The article highlights how Aedis prioritizes wood as a #SustainableDesign solution in our effort to leave a #LastingPositiveImpact on the communities we serve. We invite you to read the entire interview here: https://www.woodworks.org/firm-feature-aedis-architects/

Forest Hill Elementary School Update

Phase One of Campbell Union School District’s Forest Hill Elementary School Modernization is complete, just in time for the start of the school year. The families, students, and staff were greeted with a reimagined 5000+ sf Administration Building. The school Office is more functional and larger to comfortably house the health office, counselors, administrators and their staff. Our #PositiveLastingImpact on Forest Hill also includes new underground site utilities campus-wide, which not only brings the school’s support functions up to current standards, but also prepares the site for the planned addition of a new Multi-Use Building and Kindergarten playground of Phase Two.
We are grateful for the trust #CUSD placed in the Aedis team— Michelle, Sri, Sanjana, and Kris—giving us the opportunity to do some great work!

Stratford School TimberQuest Classroom Building

This Fall, Stratford School Pleasanton Middle School students returned to a transformed campus. The school doubled in size with a brand-new courtyard and TimberQuest classroom building. The students and staff will benefit from TimberQuest’s innate biophilic elements, designed to enhance academic achievement and overall occupant welfare. Impressively, the entire project was completed over the summer, with no disruption to Stratford’s academic school year program. #AedisArchitect’s partnership with Spring Education Group, XL Construction and Daedalus Engineers has once again allowed us to leave a #PositiveLastingImpact on this growing school community! Cheers to a wonderful 2023-2024 school year!

AIA Silicon Valley People’s Choice Award Win

It is with honor and excitement that we accept the 2023 People’s Choice Award from AIA Silicon Valley for the Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC). Aedis’ former President, the late Thang Do’s vision was unwavering, and uncompromising during this project’s design and this award tells us his efforts were worth it. Our design partner, Hawley Peterson Snyder Architecture/Interiors/Planning was a truly vital and integral part of the design process. We are grateful to the County of Santa Clara Facilities and Fleet Department for their leadership, trust, and support, and for the insight and foresight of the Board of Supervisors for identifying a need and establishing this program, which has turned out to be wildly successful, beyond even the most optimistic dreams. The VASC project is making a #PositiveLastingImpact on the Vietnamese-American Community for generations to come!

San Jose City College Ribbon Cutting

Last week, we were honored to celebrate alongside San Jose City College and JGM for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the new Maintenance, Operations and Emergency Operations Building. The speakers highlighted the significance of this building, pointing out that the M&O Department finally has a centralized home on the campus, increasing their ability to serve the SJCC community. Our very own Joe Vela, AIA recalled in his speech how the Aedis design team successfully accommodated a major programmatic change mid-design in combining the Emergency Ops Center and the M&O Department into one multi-purpose building. The final outcome is a functional and elegant building that will leave a #PositiveLastingImpact on San Jose City College.

New Faces of 2023

Our Aedis family expanded in 2023 with the addition of these delightful humans: Ava Martinson, Isabella Lara, and Ethan Mena. We value their dedication, enjoy their energy, and appreciate their insights. We are certain they will help us leave a #PositiveLastingImpact on the communities we serve.