Foothill DeAnza Community College District
Performing Arts Center at DeAnza Community College

Project Description

The DeAnza Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC) is a New Construction, multi-use performing arts facility that is now used for a variety of classes and events by De Anza College and the Colleges’ surrounding community. The Auditorium features events such as film viewings, digital film mix downs, dances music concerts, meetings & lectures as well as live theatre projections and outside events. The state of the art features -- two (2) theater quality projectors, sound system, and stage area -- were designed using rigging and theatrical acoustics for the best possible venue available. The Art History Room, with an audiovisual system can support backstage overflow.

Salas O'Brien Engineers provided full mechanical, electrical, and plumbing consulting engineering services for the new 19,000 square foot VPAC. The successful work included HVAC and plumbing designs that are not only efficient and sustainable, but also acoustically sensitive to ensure that the systems do not interfere with performances. The electrical power and lighting for the new facility included upgrades to the facility’s central plant. The Fire Life Safety work included a new fire sprinkler and fire alarm system and both were coordinated to meet code requirements while minimizing aesthetic impact to the facility.

Salas O’Brien also provided a LEED accredited professional for the design team, offering options for achieving each certification category, up to and including, Platinum certification. The District chose the points for LEED Silver and the Salas O’Brien design team performed the design to that level and administered the LEED documentation. The LEED Silver documentation has been through design review and the DeAnza Visual and Performing Arts Center has been Certified LEED Silver by the USGBC.

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