The California University of Science and Medicine, located in San Bernardino County east of Los Angeles, has recently completed its new School of Medicine. The project is the first building and anchor of the university’s new Colton campus. HMC and SmithGroup collaborated on the project.
The three-story, 85,000-sf project features ample use of glass that allows natural light to flow through the building and create visual connections to nature. A two-story window overlooks the plaza and glass curtainwalls running the full height of the building in all four corner stairwells further this connection and create a lantern effect when illuminated at night.
Included in the School of medicine are lab and active learning classrooms; four simulation rooms, including an operating room; a standardized patient training suite; and multi-media systems that allow sessions with visiting speakers and prominent faculty to be recorded and streamed to other areas of the building.
A large plaza in front of the building connects to the Arrowhead Medical Center and fosters interaction between medical students and health practitioners. Two lecture halls open on to the plaza, which features ample seating, a shady tree grove, and a water feature to create pleasant study areas for study, socialization, and relaxation. The space can also host graduation ceremonies and other events.
HMC and SmithGroup’s design-build plan saved substantial time and money. The plan took cues from commercial building project and using a tilt-up concrete construction system and finishes that are more typically associated with office buildings. The project was completed nine months ahead of schedule and $1.5 million under budget.
Related Stories
Sponsored | | Jul 7, 2014
Channel glass illuminates science at the University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco’s new John Lo Schiavo Center for Science and Innovation brings science to the forefront of academic life. Its glossy, three-story exterior invites students into the facility, and then flows sleekly down into the hillside where below-grade laboratories and classrooms make efficient use of space on the landlocked campus.
| Jul 2, 2014
Emerging trends in commercial flooring
Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.
| Jun 30, 2014
Research finds continued growth of design-build throughout United States
New research findings indicate that for the first time more than half of projects above $10 million are being completed through design-build project delivery.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 16, 2014
6 U.S. cities at the forefront of innovation districts
A new Brookings Institution study records the emergence of “competitive places that are also cool spaces.”
| Jun 12, 2014
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects' design selected for new UCSC facility
The planned site is a natural landscape among redwood trees with views over Monterey Bay, a site that the architects have called “one of the most beautiful they have ever worked on.”
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 11, 2014
5 ways Herman Miller's new office concept rethinks the traditional workplace
Today's technologies allow us to work anywhere. So why come to an office at all? Herman Miller has an answer.
| Jun 9, 2014
6 design strategies for integrating living and learning on campus
Higher education is rapidly evolving. As we use planning and design to help our clients navigate major shifts in culture, technology, and funding, it is essential to focus on strategies that help foster an education that is relevant after graduation. One way to promote relevance is to strengthen the bond between academic disciplines and the campus residential life experience.
| May 29, 2014
7 cost-effective ways to make U.S. infrastructure more resilient
Moving critical elements to higher ground and designing for longer lifespans are just some of the ways cities and governments can make infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters and climate change, writes Richard Cavallaro, President of Skanska USA Civil.