Malibu Community Labor Exchange Center

JKA was retained by Kimley-Horn to act as architect to facilitate the design and permitting of the City of Malibu’s Labor Exchange Center, a nonprofit organization that helps local workers and tradespeople find work within the community, connecting employers with prospective employees. The project site is situated on the LA County Department of Public Work’s field yard, which is accessed via Santa Monica College’s Malibu campus. JKA’s approach to the design uses prefabricated flatpack materials in lieu of working directly with a modular provider. A standing seam metal roof and fire-resistant wood siding gives the building a sense of warmth and craft, while balancing the need for fire protection. Windows and large bi-fold doors allow the north and south walls to open to the exterior for natural ventilation to pass through the building and allow the central meeting room to expand and spill onto the parking area in front. The proposed 700 SF structure’s building program includes a central meeting room flanked by an office on one side and a restroom and storage closet on the other.