Engel Hall, Chandler-Gilbert Community College- Williams Campus, Chandler, Ariz.
by Jonathan McGaha | November 1, 2011 12:00 am
Chandler-Gilbert Community College serves more than 16,000 students at three different locations in the Southeast Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The 753-acre Williams Campus in Chandler, Ariz., was originally created from a portion of the former Williams Air Force Base and is in close proximity to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
When the college wanted to craft a new building to house its nursing program and provide extra
faculty offices, Chandler-Gilbert relied upon Phoenix-based Gabor Lorent Architects Inc. to create an
energy-efficient and climate controlled space that would achieve a minimum of LEED Gold certification while protecting the building’s occupants from the arid Arizona climate.
The 20,788-square-foot Engel Hall was completed in December 2008. The two-tier building consists
of classrooms, lounge areas, and faculty offices. In addition, the building features a 6,000-square-foot covered outdoor plaza which looks out towards the scenic Superstition Mountains.
To achieve the desired sustainability and climate control objectives, Gabor Lorent Architects chose
3,700 square feet of sun controls from The Airolite Co., Schofield, Wis., in Kynar 500 Pearlescent Warm Silver finish. As Paul Goldammer, project manager for Gabor Lorent notes, “Airolite’s architectural louvers provided a design element that subtly and successfully addressed the functional needs of the users, energy efficiency requirements of the building, and our own aesthetic goals as a design firm.”
The 6-inch airfoil blades were arrayed horizontally at 6 inches on center with a solar orientation of 30
degrees. Each sun control section is secured to steel trusses which also support the overhanging second floor. Thanks to the sun control system’s design and recycled content, Engel Hall achieved LEED Gold certification while at the same time, protecting Chandler-Gilbert’s faculty from the Arizona heat.
Engel Hall, Chandler-Gilbert Community College- Williams Campus, Chandler, Ariz.
Owner: Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Mesa, Ariz.
Architect: Gabor Lorant Architects Inc., Phoenix
Distributor: Roni Baker Associates LLC, Phoenix
Sun controls: The Airolite Co., Schofield, Wis., www.airolite.com
Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/projects/engel-hall-chandler-gilbert-community-college-williams-campus-chandler-ariz/