- Architect:
- Architecture for Education, Inc. (A4E)
- Products:
- 8x8x16 IWR Precision & Burnish Jet Black
- 202 Scored Natural Gray
- Awards:
- Concrete Masonry Assoc. of CA & NV (CMACN) – Honor Award for Education Design
- C.A.S.H. Leroy F. Greene Design & Planning Awards – Award of Honor
- Learning By Design Magazine Architecture & Interior Design – Award of Excellence
- AIA Pasadena & Foothill Design Awards – Honor Award, Members’ Choice Award
A melodious blend of concrete block, designed to impress
The Elliott N. Duchon Concert Hall at Rubidoux High School began with a superintendent who believed students deserved a real place to perform. Elliott Duchon, longtime superintendent of Jurupa Unified School District, championed the project from the start. “Mr. Duchon cared deeply about music and about giving students real opportunities,” says A4E. “His support kept the project moving and helped shape it into a hall the whole community could be proud of.”
Architecture for Education (A4E) worked closely with the District to understand what its students and music programs truly needed. Through that process, the project evolved from a general Performing Arts Center into a dedicated Concert Hall. Over several years of design and construction, the team balanced site constraints, program needs, and budget to deliver a building made for student musicians.
Block as the Building’s Identity
“CMU is a material we come back to often on school projects because it holds up well, fits the budget, and is easy to maintain,” says A4E. “Pairing it with other materials lets us add texture and rhythm to a façade without giving up that practicality.”
At Rubidoux, CMU became more than a practical choice. It became the building’s signature. The block’s texture, scale, and modularity give the hall a strong identity that balances elegance with durability, while complementary EcoHex pavers tie it to the surrounding campus. Its size, finish, and color were chosen to give the hall a sense of permanence, reflect the desert light, and age gracefully in the Inland Empire sun.
A Stage Worthy of Its Students
Inside, the heart of the project is a professional-caliber concert hall with state-of-the-art acoustics, tailored rehearsal rooms, and a welcoming lobby. A4E is proud of how the hall uplifts the school community and gives students a venue worthy of their talents.
Why ORCO?
“ORCO gave us a good range of textures, regional availability, and reliable delivery timelines,” says A4E. “That consistency mattered on a building with this much exposed block. The walls needed to read as one continuous surface and work cleanly with the other finishes.”
Photograph/s by Inessa Binenbaum.
