Civic

Share Center

Share Center

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Location:  Salinas, CA

Year:  Completed in 2021

Budget: $6,000,000

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Due to the exponential increase in unsheltered communities, the County of Monterey recognized the importance to fund an emergency shelter. WMA worked with a team of 14 members to determine the appropriate programming for the facility.

The site needed to provide a full service 24-hour day center and a separate sleeping facility for 100 guests, flexible enough to house families, women, and men. In the interest of meeting the $5 million budget and schedule due to a grant, WMA proposed a single 16,000 SF prefabricated metal building to accommodate all needs.

The result:

A day center consisting of a reception, waiting room, staff offices, staff break-room, health clinic, counseling offices, library, children’s program room, multipurpose room, dining room, and a full-service commercial kitchen for serving and training.

A site including a 27 space parking lot with mobile health van parking, dog park, pet kennels, outdoor dining, outdoor activity space, and separate children’s outdoor space.

A sleeping facility providing 100 beds. Living spaces are provided with wayfinding features and a name plate to personalize each room. A block of rooms is provided with special doors to allow staff to flip the entrance side,  providing more flexibility and security for different groups (i.e. families, women, men).

Morgan Hill Public Library Painting

Morgan Hill Public Library Painting

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Location:  Morgan Hill, CA

Year:  Completed in 2020

Budget:  $60,000

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In addition to completing the new children’s area at the library, WMA created a new color palette for the building. The new colors complement the surrounding landscape and reflect the poppy jasper motif in a modern and inviting approach. Morgan Hill resident Kathryn Waggoner noted the exterior as “A breath of fresh air!” While the colors of the building were updated, WMA maintained the original design intent of color symbolism and a color blocking layout. The library, located in the city center, is a historic symbol of Morgan Hill. WMA respected the nature of this design during the color selection and placement process.

Morgan Hill Public Library Expansion

Morgan Hill Public Library Expansion

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Location:  Morgan Hill, CA

Year:  Completed in 2020

Budget: $2,100,000

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The intent of the new children’s area at the Morgan Hill Library is to address a huge need for parents and children to have their own independent space so that activities can happen in the main program room at the same time as children’s events. An introduction of both light and color was important to establish a space that would be fun and vibrant but also allow for presentations and videos including story time and toddler time. The space provides an opportunity for organized seating with bands of color that wrap around the space creating a colorful cocoon. Sliding glass doors open up to a smaller room that allows a transitional space between the existing library and the new room and also allows for expansion of the new room in the event that the program is larger. 

In addition to children’s space, the community room provides for the free food program with a walk-through space that includes a small kitchenette that will also double for children’s crafts. Eventually an outdoor patio can be incorporated.

An interior remodel of the Friends of the Library bookstore increased the size to complete the current project. As a local architect we particularly appreciate the opportunity to have designed the library expansion creating spaces for local children and families to enjoy the gift of reading and events.

County of Monterey Public Defender

County of Monterey Public Defender

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Location:  Salinas, CA

Year:  Completed in 2018

Budget: $500,000

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WMA has a standing agreement with the County of Monterey and the fast track remodel of the 2nd floor from the permit center to the Public Defenders offices was a challenge.  Working with the entire team; WMA reconfigured all existing furnishings, relocated lighting, added walls and designed new internal offices so that the PD could move to the new location in less than 3 months.

The County of Monterey Public Defender’s Office consisted of a tenant improvement to the 2nd floor office. Programming requirements were to add a lobby, rearrange the existing cubicles and filing cabinets, and create some collaboration spaces. The budget was extremely limited so WMA got creative with space solutions.

Removing the old filing cabinets in the hallways opened up and brightened the space. With the fabric panels of the partitions now exposed, WMA implemented colored panels as an inexpensive yet effective way to add interest to the space. New demountable glass wall systems created new spaces such as the lobby and the conference room. Special pieces of furniture were incorporated in with the existing to give a fresh look and feel.

Centennial Recreation Center – Studio Addition

Centennial Recreation Center – Studio Addition

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Location:  Morgan Hill, CA

Year:  To be completed in 2021

Budget: $2,500,000

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The exercise room addition was so successful the City has chosen to embark on another addition to include a larger studio space for exercise classes. WMA is happy to be working with the City team on this exciting project. 

This addition consists of an aerobic studio, multipurpose space, and
large double sided storage closet. Ample glazing allows for an expansive view of the landscape.

The existing and new studios connect by way of a staff storage room and open up to a shared hallway for visitors.

Centennial Recreation Center – Gym Addition

Centennial Recreation Center – Gym Addition

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Location:  Morgan Hill, CA

Year:  Completed in 2009

Budget: $600,000

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Weston Miles Architects designed an expansion of the Centennial Recreation Center to accommodate a growing fitness center. The dynamic 2,000 sq. ft. addition borrows its architectural vocabulary from the existing recreational complex, yet makes its own vibrant and unique statement.

The soaring space houses new weight and cardio equipment and reroutes gym traffic directly to the right location. Designed to LEED criteria, the expansion is not only a dramatic addition to the recreation complex, it is also a testament to both the City and the Architects’ commitment to green building. Weston Miles Architects approaches every project as a sustainable project and that philosophy combined with sensitive design and proven on-budget on-time delivery is what attracts the City of Morgan Hill to be a repeat client.

The Centennial Recreation Center expansion is also an ideal demonstration of WMA’s technologically advanced design process. Utilizing state of the art 3D drafting and rendering software, the office offers clients a fully realized design before contractors even go to bid.

Gilroy Center for the Arts

Gilroy Center for the Arts

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Location:  Gilroy, CA

Year:  Completed in 2019

Budget: $2,800,000

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With its growing popularity in downtown, Weston Miles Architects sought to transform the Gilroy Center for the Arts into a hub for the Gilroy community. The new design brings art to the outside of the building to capture the audience. Large storefronts and roll up doors provide a welcoming entrance. The interior draws in the crowd and provides a comfortable atmosphere for entertainment.

 

Morgan Hill Library Schematic Design

Morgan Hill Library Schematic Design

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Location:  Morgan Hill, CA (unbuilt)

Year: 2015

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The first phases of the Morgan Hill project started inauspiciously with a chance meeting at the farm market about a potential portable to be located by the Friends of the Library at the front of the Library. After a quick assessment, we determined that there was both a need and an opportunity to provide a more enhanced design approach that included a full program review with the Friends, staff, users and the larger Community. WMA was enlisted to prepare the design program (the analysis and assessment) and then develop an approach that would allow incremental construction dependent on funding resources.

The timing of the multiple meetings with the Friends, all staff members and community groups extended over several months so that all members could have a say. The outcome was a very specific list of needs and also clear requirements for flexible space and community space. Since the project started small with a portable, the integration of the new uses into the existing space had to make sense both functionally and financially. The design evolved schematically with all members input and the outcome was presented to the Friends, the Library Staff, the Morgan Hill Library and Arts Commission and the Council.

The phasing approach allows the project to be constructed so that the current functional spaces are not impacted and the new spaces can be constructed without significant interaction with the existing users and spaces. additions to the existing library to better suit the needs of the growing Morgan Hill population. It was an intensive project starting with interviews of staff and users, programming and then the development of a phased design focused on those areas most needed to start and those that would allow for additions and remodeling in an organized and effective process.

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Gilroy Chamber of Commerce

Located at 7471 Monterey Road and with a membership of 725+ businesses, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce has been forming alliances to create a strong, local economy since 1952. The Chamber building, unfortunately, was in need of an update to more accurately reflect the organization’s vibrant presence in the community.

Public buildings should have a visitor-friendly façade that blends harmoniously into the streetscape. The existing façade of the Chamber did not meet basic design objectives for public storefronts, which need to reach out to the community. The blank, closed-off street entrance seemed forboding and unwelcoming. Further, it seemed out of place in scale and style, lacking sensitivity to its environment. In its existing state, the building was not a benefit to the Chamber of Commerce’s public image nor a good neighbor to the surrounding businesses.

One major element that the façade required was fenestration. Windows open up a building to the outside, making it seem friendly and accessible.

Weston Miles Architects’ main goal was to open up the front of the building, allowing the Chamber to effectively show the public who they are. New windows help draw people into the building, and a main lobby provides a pleasant reception area. A new public bulletin space helps communicate important and exciting news to onlookers. Similarly, new signage helped the building stand confidently in the street. Finally, updating colors and materials reflected a better understanding of the street’s historic character, and signifies a good relationship with its neighbors.