UCI Medical Education Building

The building is divided into two sections: a larger block for instructional and technical uses, and a narrower block for offices and meeting rooms.
The landscape concepts and plant materials are based on low-water usage principles.
The building was sited and oriented to maximize natural daylighting on the north and south sides, and to minimize solar heat gain on the east and west facades.
Diagram of the building’s natural ventilation, solar chimney and daylighting design.
Shading on the facades reduces the amount of summer sunlight while allowing the low angle winter sun to enter the building for warmth during colder months.
Concrete shear walls were employed to reduce solar heat gain on the east and west facades.

Empowering Medical Education

UC Irvine Medical Education Building

Irvine, CA

Education Innovation

At the center of UCI’s Health Sciences Campus, the Medical Education Building is an innovative instructional hub for 1,100 medical students, residents and fellows. The design incorporates the latest in simulation technologies for learning and testing skills, as well as a regional Telemedicine program focused on delivering care and learning to underserved communities throughout California and beyond.

Added Program Value

Utilizing a successful design-build delivery method, this building was designed to provide 23% more usable space than was required by the original program, while remaining within the original budget. The site design provides multiple high quality outdoor study and meeting spaces.

Performance Threshold

The LEED Platinum building features healthy teaching and research spaces, connected by an open breezeway to a naturally-ventilated wing with faculty offices and meeting spaces. This concept generates an operational energy efficiency that surpasses CA Title 24 requirements by nearly 28%.

Client

University of California, Irvine

Overview

A high-performance academic building designed to advance medical education curriculum

Program

Medical education building with instructional and simulation spaces for surgery, emergency medicine and obstetrics; research labs; 60-seat interactive auditorium; telemedicine center; offices; outdoor study and meeting areas

Size

65,000 sf; 1.5 acres

Sustainable Metrics

LEED Platinum, Certified

Completion Date

2009

Services

Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture

Collaborators

Design-build project delivery in collaboration with Edge Development

Awards

University of California, Energy Efficiency Partnership Program, Best Practice Award, Overall Sustainable Design, 2010

The Northwest School at 401 East Pike Seattle, WA +

Fairview Research Center Seattle, WA +

UC Irvine Mesa Court Towers Irvine, CA +

Chatham University Eden Hall Campus Richland Township, PA +

The building is divided into two sections: a larger block for instructional and technical uses, and a narrower block for offices and meeting rooms.

The landscape concepts and plant materials are based on low-water usage principles.

The building was sited and oriented to maximize natural daylighting on the north and south sides, and to minimize solar heat gain on the east and west facades.

Diagram of the building’s natural ventilation, solar chimney and daylighting design.

Shading on the facades reduces the amount of summer sunlight while allowing the low angle winter sun to enter the building for warmth during colder months.

Concrete shear walls were employed to reduce solar heat gain on the east and west facades.

Empowering Medical Education

UC Irvine Medical Education Building