School of Medicine Research Building

University of California, Riverside

School of Medicine Research Building

University of California, Riverside

School of Medicine Research Building

University of California, Riverside

School of Medicine Research Building

University of California, Riverside

School of Medicine Research Building

University of California, Riverside

Integrating Function, Technology and Nature

The School of Medicine Research Building was designed in order to attract and retain senior research faculty for the University’s new medical school. Design goals for the building sought to provide highly efficient, flexible research lab space that would exceed the energy savings of typical research labs.

Size

60,000 sf

Year Complete

2011

Location

Riverside, CA

Sustainability

LEED Gold

Project Tags

Awards

Lab of the Year Award, Special Mention for Sustainability, R&D Magazine 2012
Project of the Year for New Construction Higher Education, 2012
Sustainable Design and Innovation Award, Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful, 2012
Merit Award, IES National Illumination Awards 2012
Honorable Mention Award in Education, IIDA Portland, 2012
Merit Award, AIA Portland, 2011
Award of Citation, Savings By Design Energy Efficiency Integration Awards, 2011
Best Overall Sustainable Design Award, California Higher Education Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Best Practice Awards, 2011

Featured Image 1

Not a Traditional Lab Building

The School of Medicine Research Building at the University of California-Riverside provides research and office facilities for the University’s new medical school. The 3-story building is LEED Gold certified and the facility achieved the Architecture 2030 Challenge 2010 target of 60% reduction in site energy over the benchmark building. Carefully integrating function, technology and nature, the design team raised the bar in developing creative research environments that respond to both stringent research environment demands and occupant needs for natural light and indoor air quality.

Featured Image 2

An Open, Light-Filled Interior

All occupied spaces in the building have access to daylight and most have views of the natural environment surrounding the project. The intentionally restrained material and color palette of the interior provides a quiet backdrop to this indoor-outdoor connection. Laboratory and office environments feature a generous sense of space and natural light, with 14-foot-high, exposed flat slab ceilings. The durable, exposed concrete structure is complimented by a warm aesthetic through carefully crafted wood elements. All areas feature 9-foot-high, sliding wood sunscreens designed for individual control of light and glare. Additional wood features include fixed wall panels and floating ceiling "clouds" which lend design continuity, warmth, and scale to the adaptable work spaces. At the lab suites, the notable absence of intervening doors encourages the fluid circulation of personnel and materials.