Located in Menlo Park, Calif., the design for TIDE Academy, a STEM high school whose acronym stands for Technology, Innovation, Design and Engineering, is safe, engaging, enriching and interactive.
Perforated panels double as both sunscreen and ornamental railing
Designed by LPA Inc., Irvine, Calif., the project features Holland, Mich.-based Dri-Design’s Perforated Series Panels, which double as a sunscreen and ornamental railing on sections of the building.
Jason Zeeff, vice president of Dri-Design, says the design team focused on minimizing the environmental footprint of the school in various ways. “The Perforated Series Panels do their part by shading the building and reducing solar heat gain while functioning as a railing in some areas and bringing visual interest to the entire school.”
For the project, Rua and Son Mechanical Inc., Rocklin, Calif., installed 13,000 square feet of the anodized aluminum perforated panels in Medium Bronze. Linetec, Wausua, Wis., did the finishing of the Medium Broze anodize. The panels were installed directly onto steel columns, which were pre-marked with the installation points.
According to Fernando Huizar, project manager with Rua and Son Mechanical, the installation of the Dri-Design panels took about two to three months to complete. “From our perspective, this is a pretty simple system. We didn’t need any special tools, just a laser and screws.”
The 44,000-square-foot, three-story building is L-shaped and provides access and connection to outside learning spaces, as well as views of the San Francisco Bay. The school’s aesthetic acknowledges its high-tech neighbors, while reflecting the technology-focused education that happens inside.
In addition to the AIA 2023 Architecture Award, TIDE Academy has earned the AIA Committee on Architecture for Education’s Award of Excellence in 2022, and the Coalition for Adequate School Housing (CASH) Award of Excellence.