UC Davis Health recently marked the opening of the new Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute Building and the expansion of the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC). Located in Sacramento, Calif., the eye center provides eye care, vision research, and training for specialists and investigators. With the new building, the eye center’s vision scientists can increase capacity for clinical trials by 50%.
Designed by HGA in partnership with San Francisco design firm TEF, the state-of-the-art facility consolidates UC Davis Health Eye Center’s optometry and ophthalmology patient care, clinical research and training, and departmental offices all under one roof. The facility integrates a partial renovation of the existing ACC with a new addition, resulting in a 78,500-sf building.
The biophilic design provides filtered daylighting, critical for sight-impaired patients, as well as patterns and views that connect patients with nature. The building also features nature-toned exterior materials at the base, with a folding clear glass curtain wall above.
With a focus on patients, the design includes wayfinding elements that help reduce patient anxiety and improve health outcomes. All clinic waiting and reception areas are located off of a unified circulation spine that runs the length of the building, which helps with wayfinding. The circulation spine also runs parallel to the exterior landscaped promenade, promoting access to nature.
Other patient-centered components include high-contrast colors and textures throughout the building to improve wayfinding, as well as common spaces with home-like furnishings to comfort patients. Amenities include an optical shop, outdoor terrace, and exterior promenade connected to the parking structure with artwork, wall seating, and lighting.
On the Building Team:
Owner: UC Davis Health
Design architect: HGA, in partnership with TEF
Architect of record: HGA
MEP engineer: Guttmann & Blaevoet
Structural engineer: Buehler Engineering Inc.
General contractor: McCarthy Building Companies
Construction management services: Vanir
Civil engineering: Siegfried Engineering
Landscape architecture: Quadriga
Acoustics consulting: The Acoustics and Vibration Group, Inc.
Related Stories
| Dec 20, 2013
Top healthcare sector trends for 2014 (and beyond)
Despite the lack of clarity regarding many elements of healthcare reform, there are several core tenets that will likely continue to drive transition within the healthcare industry.
| Dec 17, 2013
IBM's five tech-driven innovation predictions for the next five years [infographics]
Smart classrooms, DNA-based medical care, and wired cities are among the technology-related innovations identified by IBM researchers for the company's 5 in 5 report.
| Dec 17, 2013
CBRE's Chris Bodnar and Lee Asher named Healthcare Real Estate Executives of the Year
CBRE Group, Inc. announced today that two of its senior executives, Chris Bodnar and Lee Asher, have been named Healthcare Real Estate Executives of the Year by Healthcare Real Estate Insights.
| Dec 13, 2013
Safe and sound: 10 solutions for fire and life safety
From a dual fire-CO detector to an aspiration-sensing fire alarm, BD+C editors present a roundup of new fire and life safety products and technologies.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 10, 2013
Modular Pedia-Pod: Sustainability in healthcare construction [slideshow]
Greenbuild 2013 in Philadelphia was the site of a unique display—Pedia-Pod, a modular pediatric treatment room designed and built by NRB, in collaboration with the editors of Building Design+Construction, SGC Horizon LLC, and their team of medical design consultants.
| Dec 3, 2013
Creating a healthcare capital project plan: The truth behind the numbers
When setting up a capital project plan, it's one thing to have the data, but quite another to have the knowledge of the process.
| Nov 27, 2013
Pediatric hospitals improve care with flexible, age-sensitive design
Pediatric hospitals face many of the same concerns as their adult counterparts. Inpatient bed demand is declining, outpatient visits are soaring, and there is a higher level of focus on prevention and reduced readmissions.
| Nov 27, 2013
Exclusive survey: Revenues increased at nearly half of AEC firms in 2013
Forty-six percent of the respondents to an exclusive BD+C survey of AEC professionals reported that revenues had increased this year compared to 2012, with another 24.2% saying cash flow had stayed the same.
| Nov 27, 2013
Wonder walls: 13 choices for the building envelope
BD+C editors present a roundup of the latest technologies and applications in exterior wall systems, from a tapered metal wall installation in Oklahoma to a textured precast concrete solution in North Carolina.
