California College of the Arts: Founders Hall
After decades of multiple campuses, California College of the Arts (CCA) unified its campus in San Francisco. This unification necessitated more student housing, leading to the construction of Founders Hall; the dorm building contains 280 single and double units that offer housing options for incoming students.
Site Square Footage: 140,000 sq. ft.
Date Completed: 2022
Construction Cost: $90 million
Client: California College of the Arts
Architect: Stanley Saitowitzi Natoma Architects, Inc.
Structural Engineer: DCI Engineers
Civil Engineer: Luk & Associates
General Contractor: Nibbi Brothers
Rockridge Geotechnical (RG) performed a geotechnical investigation for the project and consulted with the development and design teams through entitlement, schematic design, and design development. We also provided supplemental geotechnical recommendations for permeable pavers based on the results of double-ring infiltration tests, as well as geotechnical services during construction.
The building constructed is five stories tall and at-grade with an interior courtyard. To reduce the potential for erratic and excessive settlement due to the potential for post-liquefaction reconsolidation, the building is supported by drilled displacement piles (DDPs). The DDPs use a displacement auger to densify the soil in the ground as the pile is drilled. This low-spoil pile system supports the building on the young Bay Mud at the site and deeper, more competent soils below the existing fill. The installation of the pile system also produced low vibration to nearby structures.