APS Berna Facio Professional Development Center

(As partner in Studio Collaboration)

Location

Albuquerque, NM

Awards

2019 AIA Albuquerque – Merit Award (General Design)

The Berna Facio Professional Development Center serves the culture of continuous learning in Albuquerque Public Schools, providing training and conference space for APS teachers and staff as well as meeting space available to the greater community.

The focal point of the project is a central meeting space that can accommodate all 500-plus APS teachers at the same time. The building’s design is based upon the belief that natural light and views are fundamental to successful education outcomes, in defiance of a typical insular convention center model. The central meeting space was conceived of as a town square, with a scale and acoustics allows a multitude of events, conversations, and activities to occur simultaneously. An internal courtyard is visible on either side of the presentation wall on the north side of the room, and the east wall of the space features a view to Albuquerque’s east mountains.

Flanking the central meeting space are smaller breakout and training rooms, linked by a perimeter of wide concourse-style hallways. The composition of spaces is pulled together under a unifying roof structure. A combination of scrim panels and deep overhangs protect the building from solar gain while allowing for views to the exterior.

This 45,000 square foot building  was completed in 2018 and is received LEED Gold certification.