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Published on 09/15/1999 All articles from this issue

Neighbors deride redesign of Los Altos High's quad

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

The redesign of Los Altos High School's front quad area has come under fire by some neighbors, who have called the planned new buildings' color schemes and corrugated-metal awnings "penitentiary-like," "third world" and "incompatible with the neighborhood."

In a special Aug. 30 meeting at the high school, district officials and architects from the Steinberg Group - the company that designed the new school buildings - met with neighbors to hear their concerns. About 20 of the 1,200 residents invited to the meeting attended.

The architectural plans call for three rows of trees to shield the quad area from the street; the new multi-use and library buildings would be painted light blue and wheat; and corrugated metal would be used for the awnings.

These plans sparked concern among neighbors who said the buildings' blue and yellow exterior would look too boxy, pastel, and unsophisticated for a high school. Some were concerned the awnings would look too thin, raw-edged and sharp. Others said the district should plant deciduous trees in front of the quad rather than sycamore trees, which would be bare for large portions of the year.

The school district razed Los Altos High's cafeteria, quad and multipurpose building this summer as part of the plan to modernize the front of the school. The five-year, $58 million construction project calls for a new library and multi-use building.

The planned multi-use building will include a 350-seat auditorium, a new kitchen, a student dining room, a staff room and a quad area. The library will be 13,000 square feet, according to architectural plans. The blueprints for the buildings are at the State Architect's Office.

Architect Mary Morris said choosing the exterior building colors was a long process that included many people.

"We didn't decide one day that yellow is swell," said architect Rob Steinberg. "Different colors are associated with different moods. We had to think about the users and the neighborhood." Steinberg said yellow is considered cheerful and stimulating. Blue is associated with integrity and responsibility.

"That's how the colors came up," he said.

Steinberg said an alternative color scheme would be to add a third color, terra cotta, to the buildings to better blend them with the surrounding neighborhood. This would keep the buildings consistent with other already renovated campus buildings that are painted blue and wheat.

Steinberg said he chose corrugated metal for the awnings because it fit in with the school's geometric and flat-roofed design. He added it is cost effective, durable and easy to maintain.

Steinberg said more expensive awnings could be substituted for the corrugated metal, but added that such an upgrade could take money away from interior plans.

"Schools are built on very modest budgets. Every nickel and dime is a trade-off. We felt from a distance of 60 to 70 feet, there would be no value out of upgrading materials," Steinberg said.

The district was scheduled to finalize color schemes, landscaping plans and awning materials by the end of this month.