Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County / The Community Foundation, a non-profit coordinator for charitable giving, is deeply committed to sustainability, healthy living, and their local community, goals which are reflected in their new LEED® Gold headquarters. Parallel to choosing non-toxic materials and carefully-sourced materials in the building, the landscape used only locally-occurring and regionally native plants with low-impact maintenance needs. JLJA integrated innovative planting methods for passive heating and cooling of paved surfaces, in addition to minimizing building footprint. While fronting a busy road and intersection, the design recreates a clearing between village and woodland forest, incorporating light, canopied trees with billowy grasses, particularly in the entry. Woodland trees were carefully located to screen traffic noise and views in the foreground, yet frame distant mountain views. This framing is especially effective from the rooftop terrace, where larger meetings and outdoor events are held. 

Photo: Kris Knutson

Client: Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County
Location: Aptos, CA
Dates: 2006-2011
Size: .65 acres
Cost: $10 million
Owner: Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County
Architects: Mark Cavagnero Associates Architects
Civil Engineers: Ifland Engineers
Contractor: Devcon Construction
Landscape Contractor: Prime Landscape Services
Construction Manager: Nova Partners
Recognition: LEED® Gold for New Construction
U.S. Green Building Council, 2011 International Architecture Award from Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture & Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies
2012 AIA-SF Chapter: Honor Award for Architecture 

Photo: Kris Knutson

Photo: Kris Knutson

Photo: Kris Knutson