GUALO RAI, Saipan—Taniguchi Ruth Makio Architects currently is working on a number of projects in the CNMI, including the Northern Marianas College Student Center, Center for Research, Extension, and Development (CRED) Building, and two classroom buildings in Finasisu, the CNMI Cultural Event Center in Chalan Kanoa, and the CNMI Department of Finance Economic Resiliency Center on Capitol Hill.
Makio PROJECT ALREADY IN CONSTRUCTION
NMC Student Center Federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education and Federal Emergency Management Agency at a construction cost of $31,432,988, NMC’s new state-of-the-art student center project will be three stories in height and is approximately 38,365 square feet of enclosed space which includes a double height student dining/multipurpose hall, student services, library, bookstore, multi-purpose event space, and office spaces.
Outdoor terraces for seating are provided on the second floor at 348 square feet and two outdoor seating event spaces on the third level at 6,230 square feet. The facility is located at the northern portion of the NMC campus adjacent to Chalan Monsignor Road. It will primarily serve as the “flagship” building in response to rebuilding of the new NMC campus.
Key design strategies for the student center are to integrate flexibility of spaces and blend of indoor and outdoor activities. The design shall be student centric, resilient, energy efficient and culturally appropriate. Site modification will include a student plaza located at the southern exterior lawn from the student center building, asphalt pavement parking lots at the north and southeast corner, and outdoor terrace seating by the performance lawn. The project aims to achieve the LEED Silver Certification.
PROJECTS IN THE DESIGN PHASE
NMC Center for Research, Extension, and Development (CRED) Building The U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Grant-funded NMC Center for Research, Extension, and Development (CRED) Building is in its final design phase.
It calls for the design and construction for the new NMC Center for Research, Extension & Development (CRED) building located in Finasisu. The building will be two stories in height and is approximately 20,554 square feet which will be primarily used for the NMC Cooperative Research Extension and Education Services research and laboratory spaces. Building spaces will include Anthropometry Lab, Entomology lab and collections storage, office spaces, meeting spaces, two multi-purpose labs, kitchen lab, EFNEP Extension Lab, FCYD Extension Lab, Annex, and open and shared workspaces with various types of collaboration and meeting spaces.
The rendering of the Northern Marianas College Student Center Photo courtesy of Tanaguchi Ruth Makio Key design strategies for the CRED building are to integrate flexibility of spaces and blend of indoor and outdoor activities. The design shall be resilient, energy efficient and culturally appropriate. Site modification will include utility buildings incorporated with terrace lawn step seating and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility ramps with garden areas on the southern lawn which will connect users to the main campus quad.
There are three access points from the CRED Building to the student center and campus quad. Parking is provided on the west side of the property. The project aims to achieve the LEED Silver Certification.
CNMI Cultural Event Center The Office of Planning and Development is constructing the Office of Indigenous Affairs’ CNMI Cultural Event Center in Susupe. It will be using grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.
Plans for the 256,567-square foot CNMI Cultural Event Center include accessible pedestrian pathways throughout the site to provide an overall circulation loop and recreation amenity suitable for large events. The project will also include 44 vendor kiosks, nine activity structures, one main house with local medicinal garden areas for community gardening, three public restrooms, performance stage with rear dressing rooms and restroom to be constructed out of concrete. Site features to include low maintenance and erosion control planting and trees, paved public parking lots, event lawn seating by performance stage, extended pathway to existing canoe houses, new concrete benches and seating, and trash bins will be provided throughout the project site. A man-made latte stone park consisting of eight latte stone pillars will be constructed in addition to the event space.
Northern Marianas College two classroom buildings Contracted by the Northern Marianas Housing Corp., the Northern Marianas College Two Classroom Buildings project is funded by the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief Grant.
The two classroom buildings will both be single story in height with the ability to expand vertically for a future second floor addition. Provisions will be provided to accommodate for the future additions. Classroom Building E is located on the eastern part of the NMC campus and is approximately 13,268 square feet. Building E spaces will include eight 900-square foot classrooms, two 900- square foot computer labs, a Network Operations Center (NOC), common area restrooms, and interior corridor. Classroom Building F will be located on the southwestern part of the NMC campus and is approximately 11,860 square feet which will include two 900-square foot classrooms, four 1,800-square foot instructional laboratory spaces, restrooms and interior corridor.
Key design strategies for the two classroom buildings are to integrate flexibility of spaces by utilizing folding partitions wall panels for each classroom to break into smaller group activities, folding glass walls and doors alongcorridor, and blend of indoor and outdoor activities. The design shall be resilient, energy efficient and culturally appropriate. Site modification to include paved driveways and parking lots for both sites and new utility buildings such as generator room, pump room, and domestic water reserve and rainwater catchment systems. There are multiple access points from the two classroom buildings to the main campus quad and adjacent buildings. The project aims to achieve the LEED Bronze Certification.
CNMI Department of Finance Economic Resiliency Center Another U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration-funded project, the Economic Resiliency Center will be two stories in height and is approximately 26,467 gross square feet constructed of reinforced concrete.
The Economic Resiliency Center will operate as a financial data center and management building and shall be designed as an essential facility or equivalent designated emergency preparedness, communications and operations center required for emergency response. The building will be occupied by the following Department of Finance Divisions and branches—Secretary of Finance, Office of Information Technology, Passport Office, Treasury, Training Room, and Revenue & Taxation (Business License, Compliance, Data Entry, Mail Room and Printing, Collections, Enforcement/E-Gaming, Auditors/Examination, and Administrative Office).
The site features include low maintenance planting, back-up generator and generator room, pad mounted transformer, reserve fuel tank, and trash enclosure. Ample parking provided for customers and employees. mbj
(From left) Jaime P. Pangelinan, senior design manager and Saipan office manager, and Frances T. San Nicolas, administrative assistant, both with Tanaguchi, Ruth Makio. Photo by Mark Rabago
