Laguna College of Art and Design places final beam on its new innovation center
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Laguna College of Art and Design’s future is taking shape, the campus community and dignitaries gathering Friday to celebrate a construction milestone for what will become the Patrick Howe Quilter Innovation Center.
The two-story, 22,000-square-foot building, designed to bring the college’s academic programs under one roof, had the final steel beam placed during a topping out ceremony, bringing it to its full height.
Prior to its placement, city and campus leadership, students, faculty and key contributors signed the beam. The rain held off until the scheduled speakers had recognized the moment, then it began to pour as the beam was lifted into position.
“This is not simply about added square footage, it is about expanded capacity, stronger collaboration across disciplines, and modern facilities that keep pace with the creative industries,” said Mark Saville, interim president and chief executive of LCAD. “It is a place where an animator, an illustrator, a designer, and a painter can meet, trade ideas, and build something none of them could build alone, and where the professional creative community can walk through our doors and do the same.”
When completed, the innovation center will provide new classrooms and print labs, event and gallery space, and a cafe.
The college orchestrated a $100-million capital campaign to modernize the campus and fund the project, which broke ground in September 2025. Construction, being overseen by BNBuilders, then got underway in March and is anticipated to be completed by November 2027.
Quilter, for whom the building is being named, supplied the largest gift in the 65-year history of the college with a $40-million donation.
“Quilter Sound Company got started in 1968, tried to take over the world with giant guitar amps when there was a moment of opportunity. We missed the boat, but we pivoted to pro audio products like this,” said Quilter, quipping that the sound amplifiers used at the ceremony were not his company’s.
“A much bigger industry, and after many, many years, resulted in becoming a world leader in both live sound, and in later years, audio-video transport for boardrooms,” he said. “In any case, I’m very fortunate to be in a position to underwrite buildings like this that will live well beyond me, and support the arts, and give back to the community that allowed me to have a rich and wonderful life.”
Justin Thavirat, whose initial connection to LCAD involved helping the school develop a video game art major, is now the chairman of the college’s board of trustees. As he thought about the future students that would walk the halls, Thavirat made a comparison between the academic journey and the day’s event celebrating an incomplete but progressing project.
“I think that’s a pretty fitting metaphor for the college and the process of education,” Thavirat said. “We’re always building — sometimes making mistakes — but we’re learning and growing along the process. This education, this persistent pursuit towards these creative crafts that we want to develop, is a continuous work in progress, as well.”
