Masonry Magazine March 1980 Page. 20
Space
Science
Center
Foothill College
Los Altos, California
Architect
Ernest J. Kump Associates and
Gwathmey Sellier Crosby
General Contractor
Dickman Construction, Inc.
Mason Contractor
Lloyd Cornelius and
Woodward & Wilson,
A Joint Venture
Hi-lift grouted brick masonry exterior bearing walls comprise the essential construction technique used in building the impressive Space Science Center for the Foothill College District in Los Altos, Calif.
The brickwork is a common running bond with texture to match the adjacent astronomy building and other campus structures constructed of brick.
Concrete was used for the footings and foundations; floor slabs for the ground floor and the main floor are of reinforced concrete, with the main floor support consisting of concrete columns and the ground floor bearing on grade.
The main roof is supported by laminated wood beams arranged in a radial plan. Wood joists carried by steel joist hangers permit the roof sheathing to run flush over the top of the beams. Bearing on the exterior brick masonry wall and on interior laminated wood columns is the main roof.
Basically, the interiors are considered as "exposed" construction, utilizing the integrity and nature of the materials with a resulting maximum efficiency and economy in their use.