CCA Jewett Design Studios
A Frame for Exploration
A simple, rigorous assembly offers a foil for creative discovery
When California College of the Arts (CCA) converted a bus maintenance facility into its new San Francisco campus, the college tapped JENSEN to create a flexible studio partitioning system to bring the industrial space to life. A long-span structure with windows on five sides, the existing building was suffused in natural light and void of interior walls. Within this expanse, JENSEN introduced a structure within a structure: a bank of “open-air” studios composed of simple, white planes.
This efficient and rational construction frames views and engages vistas, encouraging the spirit of interdisciplinary curiosity at the core of the college’s mission. Tall walls with room for large canvases run along the building’s width, while lower walls span its length, providing space for display and spontaneous discussion. Large pivoting walls open the studios to the nave – a dynamic, ever-changing social and collaborative hub – inviting visitors in to explore.
