By Brian Bell, Lionakis Education Principal

The new $24 million dollar science building for Mira Loma High School in Sacramento, CA is about 85% complete as we hopefully head towards the return of the student body by August this year. The science center is a two-story building containing ten laboratory spaces for chemistry, biology, physics, earth and environmental sciences, along with five staff preparatory spaces, a rooftop learning deck and community gathering space.

The in-progress photos and concept renderings in the gallery below highlight some of the features still in construction at the site including the physics and chemistry labs, the future rooftop learning deck, as well as outdoor painting mock-ups getting ready for the final look. The building grids are set to receive either perforated, cement or ACM panels. ACM Panels stands for Aluminum Composite Material – a type of three layer “sandwhich” consisting of pre-painted aluminum sheets that are bonded to a Polyethylene (PE) core. ACM panels are a great choice of material for both indoor or outdoor applications because they have good dimensional stability, low weight, and a sleek, brilliant look.

This project is a signature facility for the San Juan Unified School District in the Design-Build delivery method and we are partnered with DPR Construction. We hope our project will inspire and encourage the next generation of students to pursue careers in science, with the supportive backbone of a new learning center designed with science at the forefront.