Images courtesy of Ruhnau Clarke Architects
SERVICES
Structural
SIZE
64,000 SF
CLIENT
Ruhnau Clarke Architects
OWNER
San Bernardino City Unified School District
San Bernardino, CA
RTM provided structural engineering services for the new three-story welcome center, a 64,000-square-foot building with a 6,000-square-foot roof terrace. The center serves as a single destination for families to enroll students, conduct language assessments, access health and wellness services, and receive support for foster care, homelessness and technology needs.
The project presented several design challenges, including a steel structure with metal deck, metal stud framing and steel moment frames using a proprietary Sideplate Systems connection for the lateral system. This approach enabled an efficient structural design while maintaining an open floor plan. At the front entry, a glass wall is supported by HSS steel members concealed behind the façade, creating a clean, uninterrupted appearance.
The second-floor exterior terrace was designed as a flat, walkable surface with proper drainage using an adjustable paver system on stanchions over a sloped roof. Structural steel in this area was dropped 18 inches below the interior floor to accommodate the roofing and paver system. Interior spaces include first-floor family and student services, second-floor specialized programs and wellness, and third-floor IT infrastructure and leadership offices.