The design of The Center for Communities of Faith is based on a vacant property located in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California. This 15.5 acre parcel sits high upon the hill and affords panoramic views of the San Fernando Valley. The Center is designed in such a fashion as to allow most every faith tradition to comfortably use the facilities and the visitors of every faith to feel welcome. The chapel, amphitheater, conference center and surrounding gardens were designed by incorporating the most advanced active and passive technologies of sustainable design available:
- Photovoltaic panel stretching over the amphitheater roof area and are shading at the same time the plaza
- The chapel roof with the sky-eye-light is assembled consisting of multiple glazing layers with laminated glass photovoltaic panel; Photovoltaic panel cover the roof of the conference center;
- Vertical Louver protecting the exterior layer of the chapel
- Thermal buffer spaces around chapel and conference center to reduce temperature swing
- Deep roof overhangs are shading the conference center facade
- Cross ventilation is provided in all building portions of the complex
- Natural day lighting for all offices and assembly rooms, exterior adjustable shades
- Vacuum glazing systems for increase insulation value
- Increase roof insulation and cool roof finishes
- Green roof at some portions of buildings
- Geothermal Heat exchanger to reduce cooling loads
- Cooling walls and ceiling cooling panel in conference center
- Grey water collection for irrigation & restrooms
- High efficient water use fixtures
- LED illumination
The layout of the chapel, with its attached amphitheater, is based on the vesica piscis, which commonly symbolizes a sense of unity or common ground. Not only religious unity shall be achieved with this new center but also harmony between man and nature.
"Pavilion Formosa" the joint workshop between PARAVANT Architects and National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan was published in the March 2012 issue of Taiwan Architecture Magazine. Eight teams of students were tasked to design a pavilion, located along Santa Monica’s beach, which could introduce Taiwanese culture to Southern California. The various design proposals dealt with ideas of urban living, density of society, the threshold of public to private space, Asian history, time and spaces of social interaction.
Quote from Michelle Kaufman: "... , “Passive House" designed by Paravant is elegant and beautiful, as well as efficient. It utilizes passive design components and techniques that allow the warmth from the sun during the winter but not the summer. I love the sliding screen over the winter garden and the courtyard."
