Grimshaw and Little Diversified Architectural Consulting (Little) have been selected to design a new Arts Complex for Santa Monica College (SMC) in California. Aiming to create an iconic landmark building along Pico Boulevard, the complex will be made to celebrate the college's Art Department as part of the broader Santa Monica community.
Grimshaw, appointed by Santa Monica College as lead architect and designer, and Little, appointed as architect of record, will work in collaboration for the new Arts Complex. As the design team explains, the original SMC Arts Complex first opened in 1950, and the program has steadily grown over the years. The current art education programs are at maximum capacity, necessitating that the program operate across two separate buildings. The new Arts Complex is an opportunity to consolidate the curriculum and forge together the disparate functions of the two buildings.
Andrew Byrne, partner in charge of the Grimshaw Los Angeles studio states, “We are honored to be selected to deliver a new Arts Complex for Santa Monica College. This is an amazing opportunity to build upon and expand the reach of such a highly-regarded arts institution. We share SMC’s ambitions to create a flexible, adaptable community-minded space that facilitates collaboration and most importantly, makes people feel inspired and welcome.”
Rita S. Carter, Principal of the Higher Education Studio at Little says, “We strive to reach beyond architecture and into the heart of campuses and communities to create thriving environments that support student success, and we are thrilled to be working collaboratively with Grimshaw to provide Santa Monica College with a decisive, thorough and bold design approach to achieve the school’s aspirations.” Grimshaw and Little’s winning proposal focused on emergent thinking in pedagogy and spaces that can facilitate new modes of learning.
