This 1966 cover image shows the erection of a county building complex in Santa Cruz, California, using Vierendeel trusses.
Precast concrete trusses, both prestressed and conventionally reinforced, were the structural key to the $6 million complex, designed by San Francisco architect Rockwell & Banwell.
The highly repetitive erection procedure brought the building to $24.16 per square foot, $4 less than the average for comparable county buildings in the state.
The trusses and framing system offered several solutions to design problems. The trusses were left exposed—eliminating the suspended ceilings—with utility conduits neatly threaded through the beam openings to become part of the architectural ensemble.
The 37.5-foot trusses allowed for clear spaces and created impressive latticed ceilings in the complex’s three halls and the council chamber.
The design allowed a central bay to be left open for a “hole” for a utility core, eliminating the problem of drilling bearing and shear walls for service openings.
The Brutalist-style complex, which includes a five-story office building, a one-story courthouse, and a 75-square-foot “bridge” connecting the two, is still in use.
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