Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Gymnasium |Â Berkeley, CA
Architect:Â Baker Vilar Architects
Martin Luther King, Jr. middle school in Berkley, CA was looking to update their school gymnasium. Ranked as one of the best schools in Alameda County and featuring enrichment classes that surpass general studies, the updated gym needed to reflect the school’s commitment to dynamic learning environments without breaking the budget.
Baker Vilar Architects specified EXTECH’s TECHVENT 5300 in their proposal for the renovation. It was ideal for a variety of reasons, including the natural ventilation the 5300 delivers, which would allow the gym to be used year-round with minimal load on the cooling system. The translucent glazing would provide natural, diffused light for illumination, and the mechanical operating system made it easy for maintenance crews, teachers, and coaches to open and close the windows as needed without tools or ladders.
However, in order to have the proposal chosen, Baker Vilar needed to demonstrate the environmental benefits of the TECHVENT 5300. California is notoriously rigorous in vetting energy efficient materials to pass state-wide and regional building codes – this meant standard ASTM documentation would not suffice. EXTECH worked closely with Baker Vilar to make sure our system was subjected to every test and met every standard required by California’s codes. Getting our product approved required several rounds of performance testing before the bid package was published. It was a demanding process, but EXTECH’s engineers did what was necessary to ensure our systems rose to the occasion.
Baker Vilar’s design – and with it, EXTECH’s TECHVENT 5300 – was chosen by Martin Luther King, Jr. middle school, and today EXTECH’s operable window system dramatically enhances the gymnasium’s walls. Students, parents, teachers, and the entire community enjoy playing sports, going to fairs and fundraisers, and kicking-off the school year with the natural air and light delivered by our TECHVENT.
