Santiago Canyon College is one of the newest community colleges in California. Located in Orange, CA, the college serves approximately 10,000 students in a state-of-the-art learning environment.

The college’s new 60,000 sq. ft. science center combines traditional lecture spaces, faculty offices and high-tech laboratories for chemistry, biology, physics and other sciences.

The science center features a unique design of two separate two-story buildings connected by a walkway. Approximately 27,000 sq. ft. of two types of Citadel panel systems were utilized on the $31 million facility. The prominent stair tower is clad inside and out with 9,000 sq. ft. of Citadel Envelope 2000® Rout and Return (RR) System metal composite material panels finished in Santiago Silver. Approximately 18,000 sq. ft. of Citadel SinoCore® panels were used in soffit and fascia applications on both buildings.

Design for the project was provided by LPA, Inc., Irvine, CA. The campus is located within a valley and views into the site from surrounding residential communities dictated that all new buildings provide a roof form. The campus skyline is enhanced with each new structure providing building profile and pedestrian overhangs.

Installation of the Citadel panels was done by Best Contracting Services, Gardena, CA. Best had previously used Citadel Rout and Return panels on an earlier job but it was the installer’s first experience with SinoCore, according to Maria Alimagno, assistant project manager. “Installation of the SinoCore was quick and easy,” Alimagno said. “The biggest challenge on the job was the tight working space on the interior of the stair tower and between the two buildings.” Best Contracting routed the RR System panels in its shop and delivered the 5’ x 12’ panels to the jobsite flat where they were formed.

The Citadel sales representative was Architectural Systems, Inc., Poway, CA. Architectural Systems provided shop drawings and details for the project.