Creating a Gateway for Learning and Connection
At Los Angeles Pierce College, growth in STEM and social sciences created the need for a new academic hub that could unite disciplines and strengthen connections across campus. Planned for the north end of campus on a site formerly used as athletic practice fields, the Academic East Building (AEB) is a 56,000-square-foot, two-story facility that will serve as a new gateway and a campus destination. Housing math, psychology, and computer science programs, along with general instruction and study spaces, AEB is designed to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration while connecting students to nature and the larger campus environment.
The design draws on three guiding principles: identity, diversity, and integration. Together, these principles shape a building that reflects the spirit of Pierce College while providing flexible, future-ready learning environments.
Identity begins with arrival. An intimate courtyard leads students and faculty toward the building’s main entrance, where a central lobby serves as both a welcoming point and a hub of activity. The relationship between courtyard, entrance, and lobby was carefully orchestrated to support intuitive wayfinding, while also creating a strong sense of place. Outdoor shaded study areas line an arcade, extending learning opportunities beyond the classroom and reinforcing AEB’s identity as a center for community.
Diversity is reflected in the range of spaces for learning and interaction. Highly collaborative lobbies, quiet stair-adjacent patios, and open courtyards offer environments suited to different study styles and social needs. Labs and classrooms open directly into these gathering areas, encouraging spontaneous conversations between students and faculty. This layered approach transforms the building into a destination for science and discovery, while giving students places to pause, connect, and recharge throughout the day.
Integration is achieved by positioning the AEB as a connector between campus circulation and programmatic life. An entry plaza gathers pedestrian pathways and directs them into the building, reinforcing its role as a new campus gateway. The two-story lobby ties together all programs, promoting interdisciplinary synergies and serving as a magnet for collaboration, idea exchange, and innovation.
Architecturally, the building responds to its hillside topography and adjacent campus context. Open sightlines, shaded walkways, and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces allow students to experience the Southern California climate while remaining engaged in academic life. Courtyards, plazas, and landscaped terraces blur the boundary between building and nature, reinforcing Pierce College’s character as a campus where learning extends beyond the classroom walls.
With its integration of math, psychology, and computer science, the Academic East Building does more than provide needed space. It creates a prominent new face for Los Angeles Pierce College—an academic hub that welcomes students, reflects the diversity of their learning experiences, and connects the campus community to one another and to the natural environment that defines their setting.
