La Tijera K-8 Academy of Excellence, an Inglewood Unified School District charter school, was designed by Dougherty and Dougherty architects and completed in 2012. Located on a triangular site in the northwest corner of the city, the building is on three levels of functionality. The school library, designed for community gatherings, welcomes visitors at the ground level. Upper floors hold classrooms and labs.

The building incorporates sustainable features including thermal cladding and covered walkways. The property showcases two mascot-themed community artworks created with the nearby Otis College of Art and Design’s public art class.

Betsey Olenick Dougherty established Dougherty and Dougherty in 1980. One of the first woman-owned architecture firms in Southern California, Betsey added her husband Brian Dougherty to the firm in 1982. The two met at the University of California Berkeley and both are Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA). Doughtery + Doughtery, concentrating on designing sustainable, energy efficient, community-focused facilities, have built many schools across the state.

Date: 2012
Collection: Architecture

Location
1415 La Tijera Boulevard
Inglewood, California 90302