Orange Coast College was founded in 1947 on the site of the deactivated Santa Ana Army Air Base. The Architectural Technology Department was one of the early programs on campus and was instrumental in providing many of the professionals who designed and built during the post-WWII housing boom in Orange County. OCC Architectural Technology continues to be the largest and most successful architecture program in Orange County and is the second largest community college program in the California. Many local practitioners began their careers at OCC, and many firms hire OCC students for part-time and full-time positions.
The 243-acre campus also has a rich architectural legacy that began with Richard Neutra in the 1950s when he designed the master plan and many of the original structures. A second, larger building phase was carried out in the 1970s by William Blurock. More recent award-winning buildings include the Art Center by Steven Ehrlich (2002), the ABC Building by LPA, Inc. (2011), and the proposed design for the IDC Building (2011), also by LPA, Inc. The campus serves over 24,000 students and is the third largest college in Orange County.
The Architectural Technology Department continues to be a leader in the community and has transitioned from a post-WWII architectural drafting program into a strong, design-core program with advanced digital technology. The program offers two architectural design certificates and four specialization certificates in Design/Build, Digital Fabrication for Architecture, Integrated Project Design, and Sustainable Design. The program has received numerous grants which have funded advanced computers, software, and fabrication equipment and has a professional Reprographics room sponsored by ARC (American Reprographics Company).
OCC Architecture
2701 Fairview Road
Costa Mesa, CA, US , 92626
714.432.5567
