Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library

Costa Mesa, California

Project Scope and Description

Described by the Los Angeles Times as a “soaring monument of white plaster and glass,” the Donald Dungan Library in Costa Mesa’s Lions Park was the end result of years of community advocacy. The public library was designed by the Johnson Favaro firm out of Culver City, and officially opened its doors in the Spring of 2019.

The Giroux Glass team of glaziers and technicians were tasked with contributing skylights, custom graphic glass, and an arched structural glass wall to the building, all of which were absolutely necessary for the dramatic impact that the design aimed to achieve.

Our Process

Our scope included installation of the distinctive curved, structural glass wall of the library’s facade, plus all of the building’s curtain walls, sliding glass walls, storefronts, custom graphic glass, and arched openings and skylights. We were able to complete installation of all of these elements in just eight months, a great success considering all of the specialized engineering the project required.

Our work on the library presented some unique challenges, including unexpected weather! It rained quite a bit during the installation process, which meant our team had to exercise a great deal of patience. Handling heavy sheets of glass in wet weather can be very dangerous, and we could not put any of our team at risk. On rainy days, this often meant long hours waiting for a safe break in the weather.

Another challenging aspect of this project was ensuring that all custom graphic glass features were cut to perfection. Otherwise, the detailed patterns on each piece would become distorted—a mistake that would ruin the entire effect. By leaving ⅛” of extra space on every side, glaziers were able to ensure the pattern stayed in proportion while fitting with the previous piece of glass.

Finally, the complex project required detailed coordination with other subcontractors, like steelworkers and drywall experts. On a project like this, thorough and consistent communication is imperative to keep things on track.

Materials from Far and Wide

The structural glass wall needed a special part called a “Donut.” It was bought from Sadev in Chicago , delivered to Cristacurva in Mexico, and ended up part of a library in Costa Mesa!

“The success of this project was a result of continuous communication, planning and talented Giroux’s union glaziers and CAD technicians.”

Abdul Aziz Zoua, Project Manager

Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library

Project Scope and Description

Our Process

Materials from Far and Wide

Our Partners