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Historically, Coastline Community College is
known as a distance-learning based college, a
contrast to most traditional college campuses.
Their Newport Beach Campus represents growth
and an evolution to become a destination in the
community it serves.
The state-of-the-art campus is designed with a
technology-savvy and globally-conscious student
generation as the primary focus. With this as a
frame of reference, LPA worked with the Coastline
Community College team from day one to address
priorities, such as creating social space and
communicating a commitment to sustainability.
The unique exterior appearance of the facility is
a direct response to the challenge of creating
a campus environment on a 3.9-acre site with
66,000 square feet of programmed space.
The design solution was to go vertical, as a
Scope.
three-story stacked-classroom design satisfies
both the program and parking requirements.
Above the stacked classroom blocks, a
landscaped roof deck is transformed into a
spacious open-air veranda with ocean views,
providing the main social space for students. The
campus also includes the Coastline Art Gallery,
an on-site space showcasing work from local,
national and international artistic masters.
This social backdrop is a symbolic bridge
between the bold and formal academic spaces,
and the informal roof garden with breathtaking
views. The balanced setting promotes a
comfortable and productive learning environment
which encourages students to actively participate
in their education and become more acutely
aware of their natural environment.