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Archive for the ‘In the Works’ Category

Officials plan to give Cupertino High campus a more college look and feel

Friday, January 6th, 2012

Cupertino HS
QKA project Cupertino High School was just featured in the San Jose Mercury News.

The Cupertino High School project combines three programmatic elements of the school into one building: the Administration & Guidance Student Services; the school Library and the Food Service and Café area. The Student Union will be a central gathering place that will be used by the whole school population along the lines of a junior college student union, rather than a standard high school with its separated uses. Open to students all day and used by the community during nights and summers, flexibility is a central programmatic theme.

The building embraces the informal, collaborative and technology based learning that is the core of Silicon Valley culture, creates a collegiate atomosphere and will be the social & academic hub for the school.


Solar in San Mateo

Thursday, March 10th, 2011


QKA is working with San Mateo Union High School District to install photovoltaic (PV) systems at six of its high school campuses (Hillsdale High School featured above). The PV systems totalling 3.6 megawatts, will help the District lower it’s $1.1 million annual electricity bill.

This project was the cover story in Western Roofing magazine’s Nov./Dec.2010 issue. QKA Project Architect Nick Stephenson’s quote from the article says it best—”For QKA, it is gratifying to work on a project where the commitment to solar energy is the centerpiece.”


Raising Ross School

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Ross School is one of the most unique projects in our firm’s 25 year history. We secured an unprecedented $1 million in FEMA funding to lift a portion of the school four feet out of the flood plain. As the final phase of our work at Ross continues, here is a visual preview of what we’ve recently completed.


Ross Gym’s Big Beam

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Construction on the gym is well underway at Ross School. Recently an 85 foot beam that spans over the bleachers and supports five trusses that cross the gym was lifted by a 300 ton crane. The beam weighs 264lbs./linear foot and was 83.5′ long, 40″ deep. That’s roughly 11 tons!


Get Ready for Some Football (and Soccer!)

Friday, September 17th, 2010

The new Napa Stadium is nearing completion. Click the image above for a closer glimpse at the renderings.


Ross School Nearing Completion

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

American Canyon High School Ranked #1 Construction Project

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

American Canyon High School - December 2009

If you recently received a copy of the North Bay Business Journal’s Book of Lists, check out page 61–American Canyon High School is ranked by value as the #1 construction project in Sonoma, Napa, Marin and Solano counties. This progress shot was taken December 2009.


Happy Kids & Satisfied Teachers at Mendocino K-8

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Mendocino Editorial Cover 2009

The New Mendocino K–8 School:
A Community Dream Realized
Story by Margi Gomez
Contributing editor, Lisa Norman

Here’s a quote from the article the QKA marketing department thoroughly enjoyed: “I think that the new school has a great stage, kitchen, plants, playground, library and classrooms. I think the whole school is awesome. P.S.…It’s totally twenty-first century,” Sofia Seim asserts.

The new Mendocino K-8 campus will be featured on our website in early 2010.


Aaron’s trip to Washington, DC

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

I traveled to our nation’s capital a few weeks ago for an interview of all things. We are a part of an incredible multi-disciplinary team that is interviewing for a position as BIM consultant to the US General Services Administration (GSA). Other team members include Hallam-ICS, Blach Construction and Gregory P. Luth and Associates among many others. It’s a great opportunity and we are pretty excited about it.
In addition to talking about BIM and making the pitch to GSA I had a few hours for an evening stroll along the Mall including a visit to the new FDR memorial. Here are a few pictures.

My new favorite quote

My new favorite quote

FDR and his dog..... toto?

FDR and his dog..... toto?

The Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial


American Canyon High School Takes Shape

Thursday, May 7th, 2009
americancanyonhighschoolaerial22