Ivy Tech Community College/ East Chicago, Indiana/ 1981

Built to house a vocational high school, De La Garza Career Center contained workshops, classrooms, and support space. The building was specifically sited to separate public access from services and parking. Workshops were located in an 80-foot-wide high-bay area, while classrooms and support spaces occupied an 80-foot-wide, two-story tract with 40-foot bays.  This arrangement allowed for the clear linear organization of functions, the efficient use of space, and the consolidation of major program elements. The organization is expressed at the short ends where the structure is left exposed, revealing the building section and providing an opportunity for future expansion. 

Standard systems are used for speed of construction, quality control, and cost benefits. The structure was built of truss, girders, and joists on pipe columns, while the exterior wall was made of press-formed steel sash, insulated panels, and gasket glass. Interior walls were masonry.