Construction Begins on UC Irvine's New College of Health Sciences Complex by the Design/Build Team of Hathaway Dinwiddie / HED / SLAM

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Nov 10, 2020, 08:46 ET

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company, architecture and engineering firm HED, and architecture firm The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) announce that construction is under way on a landmark, nine-acre health sciences complex at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), that promises to be a national showcase for integrative health patient care, training and research. Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company is an ENR top-ranking design builder.

Two new College of Health Sciences Complex buildings at the University of California, Irvine, now under construction, will be a showcase for integrative health patient care, training, and research. (Contractor: Hathaway Dinwiddie; designers: HED, SLAM.)

The new University of California, Irvine, facilities include the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences and the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. The project is a flagship for the future of health education. (Contractor: Hathaway Dinwiddie; designers: HED, SLAM.)

The site – on the corner of Bison and California avenues adjacent to the UCI Research Park – will include a state-of-the-art, five-story, 135,111 square-foot building for the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences and the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute and an adjoining four-story, 77,028-square-foot building for the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Projected cost is $134 million and the facilities are expected to open in 2022.

The project is a flagship for the future of health education. "UCI is creating a national 'one-health' model for discovery, teaching and healing that brings together the strengths of the disciplines of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and population health," said Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, Steve Goldstein. "These two new buildings, part of our expanded health sciences campus, are designed to foster the creation of the diverse healthcare workforce of tomorrow. The facilities are built to enable interprofessional education and a future of team-based care that benefits from healthcare providers that operate in synchrony to support health and wellness."

"A future of wellness demands that we promote approaches that keep our patients healthy, and when they are ill, that our providers work together so care is readily-accessible, cutting-edge, patient-focused and population-savvy," continued Goldstein. "The integrative health institute is co-located so all our students incorporate its focus on the whole person, even when the provider is a specialist, and its commitment to finding new, effective, evidence-based practices to optimize well-being."

HED's and SLAM's higher education and healthcare studios brought expertise to the team. "The design is dedicated to supporting human health and the healing experience in a holistic way," says Martha Ball, Project Manager with HED. "This aspect of the project mission infused our process."

Design strategies for the new buildings on the UCI campus were strongly influenced by biophilia -- the human tendency to interact with other forms of life in nature -- and attention to wellness at all scales. Occupant access to light, air, views of vegetation and water, and other considerations, all support the overall mission of the complex and the schools.

The health science complex includes a 150-seat auditorium, a central courtyard that connects with the existing Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, landscape design elements that support activities such as yoga and tai chi, a Zen garden, and a 600-foot-long wellness walk that leads to the School of Medicine's Biomedical Research Center.

The complex is generously supported by major donations. Susan and Henry Samueli donated $200 million to build this first-of-its-kind college of health sciences focused on interdisciplinary integrative health. The far-reaching gift – one of the largest ever to a single public university – positions UCI as a bold new leader in population health, patient care, and health-related education and research. The William and Sue Gross Family Foundation committed $40 million to UCI to establish a nursing school and assist in the construction of a new building to house it.

ABOUT HATHAWAY DINWIDDIE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Hathaway Dinwiddie celebrated its 100th year of business in California in 2011. Hathaway Dinwiddie focuses on the California market and is known for constructing many of the state's iconic buildings. Consistently ranked in the ENR Top 100 General Contractors in the United States, Hathaway Dinwiddie prides for being Builder of Choice and provides Design Build, General Contracting, Project Planning and Management services in California's most dynamic markets. We have helped the nation's premier companies and institutions develop landmark structures and quality interior spaces throughout Southern California, San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. Learn more and collaborate with us at hathawaydinwiddie.com or on https://www.facebook.com/hathawaydinwiddie, https://www.linkedin.com/company/hathaway-dinwiddie, https://www.instagram.com/hdcco/

ABOUT HED
HED seeks creative solutions that have a positive impact for its clients, the community, and the world. HED has earned a reputation for excellence in all facets of the designed and built environment, including architecture, consulting, engineering, and planning services. The firm of 350 people serves clients in a broad range of markets from eight U.S. offices: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Sacramento. See how HED advances your world at www.hed.design or on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

ABOUT THE S/L/A/M COLLABORATIVE
The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) is a multi-disciplinary design firm with a broad range of markets including a nationally regarded Higher Education practice. Our primary focus on Academic Medical Centers and expertise in the programming and design of research and education facilities has resulted in completion of 40 health sciences projects for top tier public and private institutions (22 medical schools and 25+ simulation centers) including Emory University, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Baylor College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and MIT. SLAM has offices in Atlanta; Boston; Denver; Glastonbury, CT; Iowa City; Los Angeles; New York City; Orlando; and Philadelphia. Learn about our creativity in design to enrich lives at www.slamcoll.com.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE
Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

Media Contact:
Kira Gould, [email protected], 415.690.0182

SOURCE HED