Huitt-Zollars was the prime architecture consultant for the new student services building at Santa Monica College. The three-story building, with three subterranean levels of parking, consolidated the various Student Services departments into one building located on SMC’s main Pico campus. The goal was to provide centralized access and a one-stop service delivery location to more effectively serve the approximately 35,000 students per year in attendance.
The Student Service Center meets LEED platinum standards and was recognized for achieving LEED Platinum Certification in May 2021 at the 20th Annual Municipal Green Building Conference and Expo held by the USGBC-Los Angeles. Sustainable design features include multiple light wells throughout to bring natural light deep into the building’s large floor plates; high-performance glazing; advanced waste water systems; advanced lighting control systems: photovoltaics on the roof, and on site water retention systems. The building is strategically located at a key corner of the campus along Pico Boulevard, creating a highly visible and welcoming entrance.