Saiful Bouquet served as the structural engineer of record for the comprehensive modernization and expansion of California State University, Fullerton’s Visual Arts Complex, collaborating closely with architects HGA and contractor C.W. Driver. The project’s primary goals were to seismically upgrade the existing 107,600 SF facility, originally constructed in 1969, to meet current building codes, while simultaneously transforming the complex into a more cohesive, collaborative, and modern arts campus environment. This involved engineering crucial seismic retrofits for existing structures alongside the design of significant new additions.

The expansion featured two distinct new stand-alone buildings: the 15,000 SF, single-story steel Arts Gallery (Building E) and the 37,000 SF, two-story concrete Classroom/Studio Building (G). Saiful Bouquet engineered unique structural solutions tailored to HGA’s architectural vision for each. Notably, this included designing the gallery’s dramatic long cantilevers to create a signature covered entrance, and engineering a portion of the classroom building’s Level 2 slab edge to hang from cantilevered roof beams, accommodating expansive glazing and dynamic roof forms. Both new buildings were designed targeting LEED Silver certification, integrating sustainability goals with the essential structural safety and modernization objectives for the entire
complex.

Awards

2024 AIA Orange County | Merit Award