Cooper Accents

by Jonathan McGaha | February 27, 2013 12:00 am

An exceptionally high-achieving building, the processes within the UCI Medical Center Clinical Laboratory in Orange, Calif., supports the entire southern California area. The five-story, 60,000-square-foot building has a cast concrete frame and envelope that’s highlighted with metal wall panels.

A physically enduring structure, the building’s presence on the site conveys a memorable message. Situated compactly, the building creates a plaza that connects to a neighboring lawn. The juxtaposition of hard and soft public spaces makes for an accommodating pedestrian/user experience as people navigate the busy campus.

The building’s horizontal and vertical circulation core is picked out in metal wall cladding in custom Copper Penny from Custom Metal Contracting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Meanwhile, the deep canopy made up of metal wall panels covering the plaza and the monumental concrete and glass stairs create a dramatic entry portal where scientists interact.

The 4-mm composite metal panelswere chosen because the adjacent hospital features metal panels of the same color, explains Philip Pipal, LEED AP, senior associate at Carrier Johnson + Culture, San Diego. “This building was designed to blend with that building. The two buildings together are the basis of a new color scheme and architectural vocabulary for the medical campus that the University has implemented.”

At the Clinical Laboratory, Pipal goes on to explain that the copper-colored panels represent the vertical circulation in the building: elevator tower at the west end, stair tower at the east end. “Across the roof there is a wall of the same color panels connecting these two vertical towers, which represents the horizontal circulation (corridor) that repeats on every floor and which organizes the building. One wall of the corridor is painted a similar copper color. The end result is a copper-red “slice” through the building that represents the way-finding through the building.” Pipal also notes that the metal panels allowed them to introduce vivid colors as accents to a building color scheme.

To inspire the scientists, the laboratories are infused with north light with generous views. Color schemes inside the building were kept neutral since when fully occupied, the labs tend to become visually chaotic. The laboratories functionality was ensured by multiple detailed working sessions with users to verify the organization of each space, visibility and safety across each lab, appropriateness of finish materials, utility of cabinet elevations, and placement of equipment and the utilities that support them.

The LEED Gold certified building features roof and paving materials that reflect, rather than absorb light, to reduce heat gain; high-performance glazing and insulation; a building envelope that exceeds the requirements of the California Building Code; lighting systems controlled by motion detectors; sunshades from Werner Systems, Tustin, Calif.; high-efficiency HVAC systems; low-flow plumbing fixtures, and more. Additionally, the building is oriented with longer exposures north and south, rather than east and west.

Completed two months early, the building features an added shelled fifth floor. The site’s master plan proposes another building to the west in the future.

UCI Medical Center Clinical Laboratory, Orange, Calif.

Award: 2012 Design-Build Institute of America Honor Award

Owner: University of California-Irvine[1], Irvine, Calif.

Design-builder: Hensel Phelps Construction Co.[2], Irvine

Architect: Carrier Johnson + Culture[3], San Diego, Calif.

MEP engineer: TMAD + Taylor Gaines[4], Anaheim, Calif.

Structural engineer: BFL Owen[5], Irvine

Civil engineer: KHR Associates, Newport Beach, Calif.

Glazing contractor: Woodbridge Glass Inc.,[6] Tustin, Calif.

Metal wall panels: Custom Metal Contracting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, www.custommetal.ab.ca[7]

Sunshades: Werner Systems, Tustin, www.wernerengineering.com[8]

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/copper-accents/

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