Following 18 months in transition, W21 in June 2008 moved into a new facility that it helped raise funds for. We thank Ed Mazria, a local architect, Alex Dzurec, an architect from Autotroph and Sarcon Construction Co. for their years of planning. We also thank Matt O’Reilly who was the Project Manager who gave all the guidance on the facility. Matt was also on the Board of Directors.

 

A few factoids about W21’s new facility, a now City of Santa Fe asset:

 

At the beginning of this project, 25 truckloads of dirt were transferred to the site The weight of the steel is over 65,000 tons 257 cubic yards lbs of concrete poured 6,500 cinder blocks, 29 windows, 9 skylights and 1 elevator with 80 gallons of bio-degradable Canola Oil that was used for the Elevator, 17 upright steel columns that are approximately 28ft tall, and 13 bundles of blue jean insulation installed due to the generosity of McDowell Construction.

 

The design houses visual arts, digital arts and fashion design studios. It also contains two performance spaces; a concert hall and a black box performance area. Each is capable of seating 300 people and is designed to be flexible with quality acoustics for both national and local acts. A recording studio is attached to the upper level performance space, providing the ability to record both performances and studio sessions. A double height lobby doubles as circulation space and as a lounge for teens to relax and converse.

 

Strategically placed windows and skylights with “sunbender” devices will provide abundant daylight to the interior while solar collectors heat domestic water, resulting in significant energy savings for this non-profit organization.

 

In keeping with the industrial aesthetic of the Railyard, mechanical equipment is left visible and exposed, allowing people to see how a building works. The exterior consists of simple corrugated metal panels and blank stucco walls that serve as a canvas for young artists, giving youth as much responsibility as the architect for the building’s final appearance. A canopy extends along the railroad tracks, providing a good connection to the Railyard and making this the public side of the building.

 

For eleven years, W21 served hundreds and hundreds of youth and young artists and thousands of attendees who visited events and workshops.

 

W21 resided in this building for eleven years (2008- 2019). W21 moved out in December 2019 as the City owns it and wanted to sell it while building a new teen center on the South Side of SF where a majority of teens now live.

 

W21 in 2020-2021 then entered the Pandemic years