Coast CCD, Orange Coast College Planetarium

Coast Community College District’s new $23 million planetarium on the Orange Coast College Campus is part of the district’s master plan funded through the $698 million Measure M. The new facility is only the second planetarium in Orange County and was designed as a first class, state of the art facility benefitting not only the college’s astronomy and science departments but also Orange County’s grade schools.

The new planetarium includes an interactive exhibit hall and a presentation room with a 50-foot-tall dome showing 3D projections of earth, space and other planets. The auditorium accommodates seating for 125. The facility also features a Foucault pendulum that demonstrates Earth’s rotation. Students in Orange County School districts who experience the planetarium will be given the chance to experience core STEM concepts through exhibits that are engaging and fun. Members of the community will have the opportunity to attend shows, lectures and exhibits throughout the year. In the future, the College hopes to integrate activities for other divisions, such as the neuro-diagnostic program, and film, video and music programs to produce shows. High performance building systems incorporated into the design support energy efficiency goals, as well as high-tech audio-visual requirements and indoor occupant comfort.

3QC provided best practice commissioning services to assist the district in meeting compliance requirements for CalGreen and Title 24, with the ultimate goal of achieving a high performing facility that reflects the college’s goals of a resourcefulness and sustainability in architectural design, use and operation.

Photo credit: Costea Photography