RNL, an international architecture, planning and design firm, recently completed work on the new Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Division 14 Expo Light Rail Operations & Maintenance Facility. The facility is designed to support the Expo Line Transit Corridor. RNL provided architecture, interior design, lighting design, and sustainable design on the OMF project.

The new Metro Expo Line to Santa Monica extends west from the Culver City Station to Santa Monica, Calif. For the first time in over 60 years, the 6.6-mile link connects Santa Monica by rail to Downtown L.A., Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, South Bay, Long Beach, and a number of points in between. Division 14 is a critical component of that service, according to Metro officials.

“It was important to Metro that the Expo Maintenance Facility represent innovation, sustainability, functionality, and wellness,” said Tim Lindholm, executive officer, Capital Projects with Metro. “These were all key concerns RNL and Maintenance Design Group were able to incorporate into the design of the facility. The completed facility is on track to attain LEED Gold certification, and beyond that, we anticipate it to be a favorite workplace for Metro employees."

Division 14 is one of the first buildings that passengers on the new Expo Light Rail Line will see when passing into Santa Monica. More than 18,000 boardings are expected after the first 12 months of operations.

“RNL strives to make the facilities we design not only beautiful and functional, but also healthy and safe for employees,” said RNL Senior Associate Sean Feeney, RA, LEED AP, and lead architect on the project. “To that end, we wanted to take advantage of natural daylight to reduce electrical demand, as well as use the mild Southern California climate to reduce mechanical demand. We maximized natural light, ventilation and views to make the space a healthier, more enjoyable work environment for employees.”

Division 14 encompasses over 70,000 square feet of building area on a narrow 9.7-acre site. Five major building components make up the facility: the main building, secondary building, wash building, the cleaning platform and the guardhouse.

RNL has a long history of working with Metro to improve transit facilities, including the newly opened Division 13 Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility and the El Monte Transit Station. Metro serves as the transportation planner and coordinator, designer, builder, and operator for one of the country’s largest, most populous counties. More than 9.6 million people live, work, and play within its 1,433-square-mile service area.