SJC SoE_hero

Education

An invitation to industry

SJC School of Energy

Before the construction of San Juan College School of Energy, classrooms and programs were housed in various buildings that were not all within the college campus. Now with the School of Energy, on campus classroom and lab space accommodates the school's teaching and outreach programs. With all school programs located together, San Juan College is able to achieve a distinct community image and offer a range of programs.

The School of Energy provides workforce training to the oil and gas industry in addition to degree programs for San Juan College students. It is one of only a few similar programs in the country, and has attracted industry interest from the region, nation, and overseas. In addition to its standard classroom, the building includes an expanded lobby to support large gatherings for training events. Here students can interact with industry partners during the course of their regular schedules and be exposed to happenings beyond the classroom.

The building itself is situated on the side of a steeply sloping hill and is oriented parallel to the contours. This allows for the very large footprint to be built with only a small internal step, which is used to gain ceiling height in the larger seminar spaces. Double-height laboratories are lined on one side with a two-story classroom spine, allowing the classrooms to have visual access into the labs on both floors. All of the labs are visible from internal circulation areas as well as in accordance with the school's desire to display what they do. Throughout the building there is extensive use of glass for openness, providing a warm, inviting environment. Where orientation dictates control of sunlight and glare, exterior perforated metal screens filter the light and lessen its impact on the building's internal environment.

DPS provided the design services for this project as part of a Design-Build team with Jaynes Construction of New Mexico. It was produced in a very collaborative process that included stakeholders from the College, the School, the General Contractor, subcontractors, and engineering consultants. The construction process was fast-tracked, such that it began before the design documents were complete. Construction is currently underway and ahead of schedule.

Client
San Juan College

Location
Farmington, NM

Size
50,001-75,000 sf

Disciplines

Beyond the Building

  • Building Performance
  • Community Benefit
  • Experience Redefined
  • Mission Support
  • Organizational Culture
  • Sustainability
  • Technology Modernization

 

SJC SoE_anchor