University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) expanded its Anderson School of Management building (originally built by PCL in 1995) by 63,000 square feet. The new addition, Marion Anderson Hall, incorporates technology-advanced, acoustically-optimized classrooms, administrative offices and a double height atrium for events. 

The education building expansion may not teach music, but acoustics still took a top spot in construction priorities. Below the new four-story facility was an existing parking structure. We worked on a plan to mitigate any class disruptions from the cars below.

Encountering an uneven structural slab at the start of the project, we changed the concrete system entirely. By applying an acoustical membrane to the structural slab directly, followed by a four-inch slab on top, we were able to create an acoustically-optimized base. Through this innovative, pitch-perfect approach, students and teachers have an uninterrupted learning environment.  

If Marion Anderson Hall were a student, it would be top of its class. The structure prioritized green solutions throughout construction and targeted LEED Silver certification. Along with optimizing energy usage, the project focused on lighting system controls, water efficient landscaping and construction waste management.