Stories
WVWD New Headquarters
Walnut Valley Water District New Headquarters Building | Walnut, CA
DPR upgraded the Walnut Valley Water District's headquarters by renovating two existing tilt-up buildings on its current campus. The 23,000-sq.-ft. project included demolition, six new major skylights, a roof canopy entry cut into the existing roof structure, a new exterior rain screen and a complete tenant improvement.
Partners
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Design Team La Cañada Design Group
About the Project
The renovated and expanded office features many upgrades, including a modern board room, conference facilities, public-facing services, engineering offices and enhanced accessibility, solidifying the site as WVWD’s central administrative and operational hub. The design was driven by several distinguishing features, including a dynamic lobby gallery with dune panels and a kinetic wall façade that emulates the shape and movement of water. The new building is not only a supportive workplace with modern amenities, but also serves as a community center that hosts workshops and public events, supporting the District’s motto of ‘People First, Mission Always.’
This new headquarters building is a space for learning, connection, transparency, and partnership—because water isn’t just infrastructure, it’s people. And projects like this don’t succeed without incredible partners.
Sherry Shaw
General Manager/Chief Engineer, Walnut Valley Water District
Distinguishing Features
Natural Light
The project features six large round skylights (6–18 ft diameter) and sixteen 14-inch Sun Tunnel Tubes, designed to maximize natural light and fulfill the architect and client’s vision. Due to the skylights’ placement on a pitched roof and their slanted design, construction was challenging. To address this, the self-perform team built mock-ups near the trailer, which helped identify issues early, reduce the learning curve and improve framing efficiency.
Dynamic Façade
Designed by LCDG, the exterior kinetic wall mimics the movement of waves, driven by the wind. This is a key feature for the designer and WVWD as it reflects the essence of the District’s work. To meet design intent, it was essential that all panels fit exactly upon install, so the DPR field team was involved in the procurement process, taking measurement of concrete walls in shop drawings to ensure fit before panels arrived on site.
Contemporary Finishes
The WVWD team selected the Boardroom for meetings and training, enhancing it with a curved ceiling-to-wall transition using SPW’s Wall Plank Ceiling System and a central Vertical Retractable Partition for flexible use. The curved design complicated HVAC layout, especially with sidewall supply ducts and return airflow. BIM coordination with the design and mechanical teams led to revised ductwork, grille placements and two pendant light openings to resolve airflow issues—ensuring system performance while preserving the room’s aesthetic.
Distinguishing
Features
Skylights enhance
Natural Light
The project features six large round skylights (6–18 ft diameter) and sixteen 14-inch Sun Tunnel Tubes, designed to maximize natural light and fulfill the architect and client’s vision. Due to the skylights’ placement on a pitched roof and their slanted design, construction was challenging. To address this, the self-perform team built mock-ups near the trailer, which helped identify issues early, reduce the learning curve and improve framing efficiency.
Metal panels for a
Dynamic Façade
Designed by LCDG, the exterior kinetic wall mimics the movement of waves, driven by the wind. This is a key feature for the designer and WVWD as it reflects the essence of the District’s work. To meet design intent, it was essential that all panels fit exactly upon install, so the DPR field team was involved in the procurement process, taking measurement of concrete walls in shop drawings to ensure fit before panels arrived on site.
Boardroom interior with
Contemporary Finishes
The WVWD team selected the Boardroom for meetings and training, enhancing it with a curved ceiling-to-wall transition using SPW’s Wall Plank Ceiling System and a central Vertical Retractable Partition for flexible use. The curved design complicated HVAC layout, especially with sidewall supply ducts and return airflow. BIM coordination with the design and mechanical teams led to revised ductwork, grille placements and two pendant light openings to resolve airflow issues—ensuring system performance while preserving the room’s aesthetic.
Self-Perform Trades
The project team's success with technical design elements was made possible by DPR's craft team's experience and the intensive mock-up process. Mock-ups of each element were created to ensure constructability, understand production rates, manpower needs, lead times, and tolerances, and confirm WVWD was happy with the final vision. This pre-work minimized challenges and ensured a smooth installation process.
WVWD Begins New
Headquarters
Walnut Valley Water District (WVWD) proudly announces the start of renovations for its new headquarters, marking a pivotal moment in its efforts to enhance operational efficiency and community engagement. The project includes the transformation of warehouse buildings acquired by WVWD in 2019, located adjacent to the current offices. These upgrades will feature modern board rooms, conference facilities, and enhanced accessibility, solidifying the site as WVWD’s central administrative and operational hub.
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