San Diego Community College District Educational Cultural Complex

LOCATION:

San Diego, CA

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Educational Cultural Complex (ECC) is a cornerstone of San Diego’s Mountain View neighborhood, serving as a vital hub for the San Diego Community College District’s Continuing Education program and housing a historic performing arts theater. Deeply rooted in the city’s cultural and civil rights history, ECC has long provided educational and cultural opportunities to historically underserved communities.

A site of national significance, ECC hosted Coretta Scott King in 1985 as she championed the national recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It has since served as the symbolic starting point for San Diego’s Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. Today, the complex stands as a beacon for community, creativity, and activism.

McCullough is proud to be part of the ECC’s architectural and landscape renovation, working closely with HGA and KPFF to thoughtfully reimagine this meaningful site. Our design approach blends reverence for the past with a bold vision for the future, incorporating precedent research, symbolic materials, and carefully curated spaces that reflect the site’s legacy and evolving community needs. Currently in the early stages of design, the ECC project is already a standout example of intentional, purpose-driven design that will continue to resonate for generations to come.