The University of California San Diego has approved plans for a new Multidisciplinary Life Sciences Building, with construction starting this fall. The 200,000-sf, six-level facility will be the first building on the UC San Diego campus to bridge health science research with biological science research and teaching.
The facility aims to help meet a growing demand for modern teaching and research space across disciplines at UC San Diego Health Sciences and the School of Biological Sciences. Research and teaching will focus on the intersection of neurodegenerative disease, inflammation, immunology, and infectious disease—using advanced technologies to drive discovery in academia and industry.
The design by Flad Architects creates scientific neighborhoods that support interdisciplinary collaboration and education at the interface of biology, machine learning, and advanced instrumentation. The research laboratories enable flexibility in response to changing programs and research, while the teaching laboratories integrate experimentation, instrumentation, and computational analysis.
![UC San Diego’s new Multidisciplinary Life Sciences Building will support research and teaching in both health and biological sciences Photo courtesy Flad Architects](/sites/default/files/inline-images/UCSD_aerial_photo.jpg)
The building program also includes shared research facilities, collaborative meeting areas, conference rooms, offices, and public spaces.
In the glass façade, perforated concrete fins serve both as a shading device and as a light shelf reflecting natural light into the building. The massing also creates outdoor terraces on each floor. The building’s upper floors are offset, creating the appearance of rotated stacks. The street level, with biological science classrooms and shared meeting rooms, will put science on display.
“The Multidisciplinary Life Sciences Building will help solidify UC San Diego’s standing as a premier research institution in the field of neurobiology,” John M. Carethers, MD, vice chancellor for health sciences at UC San Diego, said in a press statement.
The project is designed to meet LEED Gold certification at a minimum. Construction on the site, currently a parking lot and service road, is expected to start in fall 2024 and conclude in 2027.
On the Building Team:
Design architect and architect of record: Flad Architects
MEP engineer: Salas O’Brien
Structural engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
Construction manager: McCarthy
Related Stories
University Buildings | Mar 7, 2018
New living/learning community replaces two outdated residence halls at Emporia State University
KWK Architects designed the project.
University Buildings | Feb 9, 2018
University of Missouri’s new dining experience lessens food waste and inventory
The project was designed by KWK Architects.
Education Facilities | Jan 29, 2018
My day as a kindergartner
The idea of a kindergarten-only school presents both challenges and opportunities in regards to the design.
K-12 Schools | Jan 24, 2018
Hawaii’s first net-zero public school
G70 is the architect, planner, and civil engineer of record for the project.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Jan 23, 2018
New co-working space will focus on serving local, African-American youth in Miami
The new space has been dubbed ‘Tribe.’
University Buildings | Jan 19, 2018
A 360-degree classroom highlights Washington State University’s new academic innovation hub
The circle-in-the-round classroom can accommodate 275 students.
University Buildings | Jan 18, 2018
New living/learning facility at the University of Illinois at Chicago breaks ground
Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) designed the facility.
Education Facilities | Jan 9, 2018
Elementary school, daycare campus will serve Toronto's skyrise neighborhood
While the district’s vertical living lifestyle is geared for young singles and empty nesters, CityPlace has attracted a surprising number of families.
Education Facilities | Jan 8, 2018
Three former school buildings are repurposed to create mini-campus for teacher education
The $25.3 million project is currently under construction on the Winona State University campus.
Healthcare Facilities | Jan 6, 2018
A new precision dental center embodies Columbia University’s latest direction for oral medicine education
The facility, which nests at “the core” of the university’s Medical Center, relies heavily on technology and big data.