STOCKTON -  LDA Partners, LLP has received two Design Excellence Awards from the Sierra Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for work on San Joaquin County projects.

The competition for the biennial awards is open to projects constructed in an eight-county area, from Lodi to Bishop to the Nevada border, and to architects practicing in that area. Twenty-three projects were entered in this round of competition, with LDA Partners, LLP earning two of the ten awards given out.  

The Stockton architecture and space-planning firm received the honors for its work on improvements to the San Joaquin County Administration building to accommodate the Freedom Coffee Company; and new post-security holding room at the Stockton Metropolitan Airport.

The Freedom Coffee Company project consisted of interior improvements to a 1,105-square-foot, ground-floor space in the new San Joaquin County Administration building in Stockton. LDA Partners, LLP created a lively, whimsical space in which patrons can enjoy Freedom Coffee’s unique array of coffees, teas, baked goods, soups and salads. Principal Architect Brent Lesovsky and Project Manager Dory Tucker employed imaginative lighting solutions to accent various dining spaces and conversation nooks. Two outdoor seating areas were incorporated into the design to provide additional space for casual meetings.

Encompassing 7,000 square feet, the Stockton Metropolitan Airport’s new secure Holding Room offers passengers a comfortable space in which to waiting for departing flights after they have cleared security. In addition to service spaces, departure gates, and restrooms, the Holding Room also incorporates concession areas for passenger convenience. In a visual homage to Stockton’s history as an inland port, the building features five “masts” to support its roof, blue-green curtain-wall glazing, and a wave-like shade trellis. Interior noise is moderated through the placement of five acoustical “clouds” over the seating area as well as perforated ceiling panels.

The airport Holding Room was designed by Principal Architect Eric Wohle, a 1991 graduate of East Union High School, Project Architects Dennis Zagaroli and Carolyn Leou, and Project Team members  Enrique Martinez and Jose Ochoa. Ninety-five percent of the construction costs for the Holding Room addition were funded by a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.