The west façade includes the main entry with a newly articulated academic lawn and a connection to the Pharmaceutical Services building. The north entry is aligned with the Telemedicine building.
PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
OWNER
University of California, San Diego
LOCATION
La Jolla, California
DATE COMPLETED
March 2014
ARCHITECT
ZGF Architects LLP
CONSULTANTS
LABORATORY Research Facilities Design
MECHANICAL, PLUMBING & FIRE PROTECTION Stantec
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Integrated Engineering
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER KPFF Consulting Engineers
CIVIL ENGINEER Burkett & Wong Engineers
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Spurlock Poirier
LIGHTING DESIGNER Francis Krahe & Associates
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
McCarthy Building Companies
KEY SUBCONTRACTORS
Benson Industries
University Mechanical Dynalectric Company
Best Interiors
ISEC Casework
ZGF programmed and designed the 196,000 SF Health Sciences Biomedical Research Facility at University of California, San Diego to accommodate growth for a new multi-departmental initiative in genomic medicine, an expanded department of neurosciences, and to provide research space for faculty in bioinformatics, gastrointestinal medicine, childhood diseases, pathology, immunology, inflammation, infectious diseases, psychiatry, cardiology, and glycobiology. The building houses wet bench laboratories, computational space, laboratory support and core facilities, offices, and conferencing spaces at various scales, designed to foster collaboration amongst these interdisciplinary programs. The LEED Platinum (target) building incorporates a variety of sustainable design innovations integrating campus, site and building design strategies.
The new building is closely knit into the Health Sciences community of buildings. It is sited on 3.3 acres between existing buildings along a north-south axis defined by the Health Sciences Master Plan. The primary entry on the west is on axis to the main entry of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Building. A newly articulated academic lawn and walkways are intended to activate the space between the two buildings and extend pedestrian connections within the precinct. Underground linkages were also created between the buildings to access existing conference/auditoria and core facilities, thereby leveraging the University’s existing investment in these high-cost program elements. A secondary entrance is located at the north end of the new building, aligned with the Telemedicine building arcade and its food service/cafe. Both entries work together to strengthen the connectivity and pedestrian circulation within the Health Sciences campus.
SIZE
SITE 3.3 acres
TOTAL BUILDING 196,000 GSF
STORIES 5 floors of laboratories; 7 floors of offices juxtaposed above basement level
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
Wet Bench Research Labs
Lab Support
Offices/Interaction/Conference
Core Labs
COST
CONSTRUCTION $114.6 million
COST PER GSF $584
LEED LEVEL LEED Platinum Registered
2030 CHALLENGE BASELINE 161.9 KBTU/SF/YR
2030 CHALLENGE TARGET 64.8 KBTU/SF/YR
LEED BASELINE 115.6 KBTU/SF/YR
MODELED ENERGY USE 84.1 KBTU/SF/YR
ENERGY CODE ASHRAE 90.1 - 2004
CLIMATE ZONE 4
INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS
Water Re-Use
Water-Use Reduction
Non-Potable Landscaping Irrigation
On-Site Stormwater Treatment
Dynamic External Shading
Integrated Daylight
Operable Windows
Optimized Ventilation
Optimized Exhaust
Sustainable Building Materials
From the earliest design stages, a desire to support collaboration with physical transparency and access to natural light, coupled with a finely articulated layering of space, drove the design concept. The building massing features three distinct components: a 5-story laboratory block, a 7-story office wing, and a collaboration/connector element that extends vertically from the lowest level to the top of the building. This open, light-filled interaction space is accessed vertically by both a sculptural monumental stair and a transparent glass elevator, and flanked on every level by conference rooms and reconfigurable interaction spaces. Multiple scales of gathering areas range from benches at circulation nodes, to perimeter break-out lounges with flat screens and whiteboards, to conference rooms. A large outdoor terrace on the second floor “floats” above the building entry, while a second outdoor terrace is accessed off the fourth floor. These outdoor terraces are utilized for dining and social gatherings and offer views overlooking the academic lawn and the campus.
The laboratory block, the largest element in the composition, provides strong spatial definition to the academic lawn and incorporates a pedestrian-scaled arcade along the entire western façade. The three elevations of the laboratory block are developed as straightforward expressions of the east, south and west exposures in order to achieve maximum control of solar heat gain and glare, while still allowing collection of abundant soft indirect daylight into the labs. Fixed horizontal sunshades run continuously along the laboratory block at each floor, supported by thin, elegant metal columns. A dynamic computer-controlled exterior solar shading system tracks the sun throughout the year, automatically deploying and adjusting the horizontal blade angles to prevent sun
rays from directly striking the exterior glazing within the vision zone. In the daylighting zone above, the blade angles are positioned to reflect light onto a specially design curved ceiling surface which directs this natural light deep into the building interior.
The office block, with its primary façade facing north, features floor-to-ceiling glass to take advantage of even natural light throughout the year. Vertical translucent glass fins provide subtle screening from raking low-angle early morning and late afternoon sun. Operable windows are provided in every office to take advantage of the mild climate much of the year.
Two terraces above the west entry offer views of the academic lawn and the campus.
PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
1 Telemedicine & Prime HEq Education Facility (Teaching Facility)
2 Pharmaceutical Sciences Building (Research Lab & Teaching)
3 Holly (Drug Lab Research)
4 Jacaranda (Drug Lab Research)
5 Kalmia
6 Magnolia
1 Labs
2 Lab Support
3 Office / Administration
4 Interstitial Space
5 Core Facilities
6 Tunnel Connection
7 Interaction
8 Mechanical / Electrical
9 Exterior Shading System
The desire to foster communication and exchange of ideas amongst researchers was a main driver in the design of the Health Sciences Biomedical Research Facility. A 7-story collaboration space is located at the juncture between the laboratory and office wings. Transparency throughout this open, light-filled volume is achieved through a floor-to-ceiling window wall, clerestories, a glass enclosed elevator and interconnecting stair.
The “Scholarly Interaction Space” is flanked on every level by reconfigurable conference rooms and meeting spaces of varying scales to give building occupants both ease and choice of casual and frequent use.
A newly articulated academic lawn and walkways activate the space between buildings and extend pedestrian connections within the Health Sciences precinct. Underground linkages access existing food service, conference and auditoria in adjacent buildings.
“Scholarly Interaction Space” with connections to outdoor terraces, labs, offices, kitchen, conference rooms and informal collaboration areas
PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
Internally illuminated communicating stair in the central “Scholarly Interaction Space”
PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
Researchers can use configurable informal break-out spaces with video flatscreens, whiteboards and sliding wood privacy screens.
PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
LEFT Open informal collaboration areas
ABOVE Conference room and break-out space
BELOW Conference room with adjacent terrace on ground floor
PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
LEFT & ABOVE Outdoor terrace above west entry BELOW Lab terrace
PHOTOGRAPHERS Left & top right: © Eckert & Eckert
Bottom right: Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
Exterior materials have been selected to harmonize with the color palette and finishes developed for the Health Sciences neighborhood. The exterior envelope is comprised primarily of a terra cotta rain screen system, honed granite at the base, high performance low-e insulated clear glass, coated aluminum panels, and exposed architectural concrete. The microscalloped terra cotta panels were fired to produce five different shades of beige and arranged in a random pattern to add a subtle visual texture to the façades. The terra cotta wraps into the interior lobby forming a seamless transition from exterior to interior. Large granite pavers define the public circulation areas of
the ground floor, with recycled California chestnut hardwood flooring providing a warm accent for seating and interaction areas.
The light-filled interior features rift-sawn white oak panels throughout, accented by glass walls, to provide both warmth and transparency. Sliding wooden louver sunscreens on balconies further contribute to the warm feeling of the space, while allowing users to self-create more intimate informal interaction areas off of the main space. The stairway is encased with translucent glass panels and wood handrails with concealed LED lighting, creating a soft internal glow emanating from the “heart” of the building.
PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
LEFT Interaction spaces at every level include moveable seating. RIGHT Laminated translucent glass guardrails have integrated LED lights.
PHOTOGRAPHERS Left: Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
Right: © Eckert & Eckert
Daylighting and exterior views are predominate throughout the building, including the office spaces which are bright and open. Private offices have clerestory glazing on the interior wall to share daylight with open workspace areas. The open office floorplan is flexible and can be adjusted to best support the needs of the computational researchers.
A low-volume displacement ventilation system delivers air to the workspaces through perforated, vertical diffusers for energy savings and increased user comfort.
PHOTOGRAPHERS Left: Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
Right: © Eckert & Eckert
The flexible wet bench bioscience laboratories are designed around a high quality environment for integrated research and write-up space. The highly efficient modular laboratories are open for visual connection and interaction between research groups as well as ease of reassignment. The reverse service distribution strategy pushes vertical service umbilicals to the exterior wall, thereby creating a more open, uncluttered spatial feeling along the interior aisle.
Special emphasis has been placed on harvesting and reflecting soft, diffused natural daylight deep into the laboratories to create an energy efficient, high quality environment. Glare-free daylighting is balanced with abundant views to the exterior via an automated shading system with individual research controls. Lighting in the laboratories is further enhanced with integrated task lighting controlled both by sensors and individual researcher overrides.
The integration of research, support and double-use circulation spaces in the planning model provides an unusually efficient floor plate and net/gross ratio. The use of a single large laboratory suite on each floor, with a functional equipment service spine, results in a higher indirect cost recovery for Federal grant funding. The double-loaded service spine serves as the primary delivery path for materials through the lab suites and houses tissue culture, instrument and equipment rooms, shared freezers, refrigerators and other heat- and noise-producing equipment. A system of embedded wall anchors provides both seismic restraint and shelving support in this multi-use utility zone.
Laboratory mechanical systems have been sized in part by heat rejection loads for planned and anticipated specific equipment rather than generic plug load conversions. This approach contributes to “right sizing” of critical systems for lowest first costs, optimal performance and energy savings. Conditioned air from non-recirculating laboratory areas cascades into the service spines where it picks up equipment head loads, thereby getting double duty from the cooling energy in the conditioned laboratory air. Electrical branch circuiting has also been “right sized” for optimal efficiency while leaving capacity upstream in main transformers for future electrical adaptability.
PHOTOGRAPHERS Above & right bottom: © Eckert & Eckert Left bottom: Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
Dynamic exterior shading system with vision zone below and daylighting zone above PHOTOGRAPHER © Eckert & Eckert
AUTOMATED (COMPUTER-CONTROLLED) RETRACTABLE EXTERIOR BLINDS
Dynamic exterior shading reduces cooling load and energy use by keeping lab space at optimal ventilation rate for safety, while enabling daylighting through the redirection of sunlight, a “tuned” ceiling shape, and photo-sensor controlled dimming of indirect interior lighting fixtures.
FIXED SUNSHADE
VISION ZONE
LABS
DAYLIGHT ZONE
Fixed horizontal sunshades and a covered walkway run continuously along the west façade facing the academic lawn.
PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
WATER RE-USE
Non-potable water is collected (from numerous sources within the building and from the adjacent lab), filtered, and stored on site.
WATER-USE REDUCTION
All plumbing is low-flow and toilets are dual-plumbed for non-potable water, cutting potable water use by more than 50 percent.
LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION
Non-potable water provides 100 percent of landscape irrigation.
ON-SITE STORMWATER TREATMENT
Bioswales capture and filter stormwater runoff.
EXTERNAL SHADING
A combination of fixed and operable external shades eliminates direct solar heat gain and glare.
INTEGRATED DAYLIGHT
A curved ceiling in laboratories optimizes daylight distribution; electric lights respond automatically to daylight levels.
OPERABLE WINDOWS
All private- and shared-office spaces incorporate operable windows.
CONTINUED RESEARCH
Specialized systems have been included for energy submetering, monitoring and optimizing ongoing operations, and building design research.
OPTIMIZED VENTILATION
Fume hoods and separated procedure rooms in labs enhance researcher safety while reducing energy. All concentrated occupancy spaces have CO2 sensors, and displacement ventilation in offices supplies higher quality, cleaner air with less energy.
OPTIMIZED EXHAUST
To save energy, laboratory exhaust fans have been designed to reduce speed in calm wind conditions.
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS
Building materials have been selected for low-VOC emissions, recycled content and local sourcing; a majority of the project’s wood is FSC certified.
The new Health Sciences Biomedical Research Facility is one of the first UCSD capital projects to fall under new procedures requiring lifecycle cost evaluations throughout the design process. During the programming phase, ZGF completed a full analysis of eight different performance-enhancing systems which calculated not only the payback period but also the quantity (tons) of carbon emissions avoided for each system. The results of this study helped to guide investment decisions and resulted in direction and budget allocation to create a higher performing building.
The project is targeting LEED Platinum certification with the incorporation of a number of highperformance features. In addition to the computer controlled dynamic exterior shading and daylighting system, which is the largest such installation in the UC system, features include operable windows in offices and computational labs; a water reclamation system that collects more than 890,000 gallons yearly from air handler condensate and other sources, which is stored and reused for landscape irrigation and flushing of toilets and urinals; on-site bioswales to capture and filter storm water runoff; and materials with low-VOC emissions, recycled content and local sourcing.
LEFT Building transparency reveals research and collaboration activities within. RIGHT Ground floor conference room at the north-west corner PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing