Building Team completes two additions at UCLA

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) completed Holly Ridge and Gardenia Way, the newest buildings in the De Neve Plaza housing complex, capable of housing 800 students.

The construction of Holly Ridge and Gardenia Way finished several months ahead of schedule, allowing students to migrate to the new residence halls from the formally occupied Dykstra Hall in February.

Holly Ridge, also known as Upper De Neve, will house 496 students and Gardenia Way, also known as Lower De Neve, will house 307 students. Dykstra Hall will now undergo renovations to turn the 400-room building into a 10-story structure by 2013.

Holly Ridge and Gardenia Way are two of the four new resident hall additions to the UCLA campus as part of the Northwest Campus Student Housing In-Fill Project.

Upon completion, the Northwest Campus Student Housing In-Fill Project will add 500,000-sf of residential space including a 750-seat dining room, 1,525 bed spaces for single undergraduate students, student meeting rooms, and multi-purpose rooms that can accommodate up to 450 students. In total, the project will increase campus housing capacity from approximately 10,500 undergraduate students to approximately 12,000 in either new or renovated resident halls by fall 2013.

Gafcon Inc. and partner Benchmark Contractors are construction managers for the Northwest Infill project working alongside general contractor PCL Construction Services, Inc.

PCL Construction’s introduction of BIM for construction to the UCLA campus along with Gafcon’s SharePoint360 document storage services helped streamline project information for all partners and contributed to the early completion of the project. Architects for the project were Pfeiffer Partners Architects, Inc. and KieranTimberlake. BD+C

In January, design firm Populous and the City of Aurora, Colo. marked the opening of the Southeast Aurora Recreation Center and Fieldhouse. The 77,000-sf facility draws design inspiration from the nearby Rocky Mountains. With natural Douglas Fir structure and decking, the building aims to mimic the geography of a canyon.

Architects | Mar 16, 2023

HKS launches partner diversity program to create a more diverse workforce and partnership network

Design firm HKS has launched a new partner diversity program that will work to build a more diverse AEC ecosystem. The HKS xBE program will give xBE firms (a term encompassing all disadvantaged businesses) and their members “access to opportunities to build relationships, pursue new work, and bolster innovation within the architecture and design professions,” according to HKS.

Sustainability | Mar 16, 2023

Lack of standards for carbon accounting hamper emissions reduction

A lack of universally accepted standards for collecting, managing, and storing greenhouse gas emissions data (i.e., carbon accounting) is holding back carbon reduction efforts, according to an essay published by the Rocky Mountain Institute.

Georgia State University Convocation Center, by Perkins&Will Photo by James Steinkamp

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 15, 2023

Georgia State University Convocation Center revitalizes long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood

Georgia State University’s new Convocation Center doubles the arena it replaces and is expected to give a shot in the arm to a long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood. The new 200,000 sf multi-use venue in the Summerhill area of Atlanta is the new home for the university’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and will also be used for large-scale academic and community events.

A new life sciences center at 100 Hood Park Drive in Charlestown., Mass., features varied metal cladding systems

Metal cladding trends and innovations

Metal cladding is on a growth trajectory globally. This is reflected in rising demand for rainscreen cladding and architectural metal coatings. This course covers the latest trends and innovations in the metal cladding market.

Krisan Osterby, Linsey Graff of DLR Group - David Huff Photography

Education Facilities | Mar 15, 2023

DLR Group’s Campus Planning Studio defines new leadership

Linsey Graff named Campus Planning Leader. Krisan Osterby transitions to Senior Planner.

Building Tech | Mar 14, 2023

Reaping the benefits of offsite construction, with ICC's Ryan Colker

Ryan Colker, VP of Innovation at the International Code Council, discusses how municipal regulations and inspections are keeping up with the expansion of off-site manufacturing for commercial construction. Colker speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield.

Multifamily Housing | Mar 14, 2023

Multifamily housing rent rates remain flat in February 2023

Multifamily housing asking rents remained the same for a second straight month in February 2023, at a national average rate of $1,702, according to the new National Multifamily Report from Yardi Matrix. As the economy continues to adjust in the post-pandemic period, year-over-year growth continued its ongoing decline.