UCLA Converts South Tower into Research Lab Space

LOS ANGELES — The fourth and final phase of the South Tower Seismic Renovation project for the Center for the Health Sciences (CHS) complex at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is currently underway, and is scheduled for completion in June 2017.

Phase IV of the 443,000-square-foot building project will improve upon earlier upgrades and renovations that converted nine of the former hospital’s 12 floors into research lab space. This includes interior demolition and hazardous materials abatement, seismic retrofitting, building shell upgrades and infrastructure improvements, especially those that comply with new energy requirements. All phases are being completed without comprising the building’s double cross-shaped floor plan.

The phased construction schedule allowed the basement and first floors to be seismically upgraded and be occupied at an early date, creating time for more extensive improvements on levels two through 10. Phase III was completed in December 2014.

One of the key elements of the project was the custom, woven wire mesh pattern that Mukwonago, Wis.-based Banker Wire created to be used as railing infill for the new exterior stair tower. The infill was built for safety, transparency and aesthetics, and to complement the high-performance, ultra-clear glass curtainwall, which helps create natural ventilation for the facility and saves on energy costs. The constant breeze moving from the top to the bottom of the tower during the day can create the potential for wind-driven rain or humid air to pass through. The mesh will maintain its pristine look indefinitely as it resists these conditions.

“We chose to work with Banker Wire’s product because we wanted the railing infill to look somewhat transparent while meeting building codes,” said Phiroze Titina, principal for Los Angeles-based ZGF Architects LLP, the project’s architect, in a statement. “Banker delivered a maintenance-free material that satisfied both of these needs for the railing systems in an unconditioned space.”

The South Tower is the largest single building on the UCLA CHS campus, and supports the David Geffen School of Medicine Research and Education programs. The project was designed for LEED Platinum certification, and the university saved $78 million by retrofitting the existing structure and building shell, according to a statement. The building infrastructure improvements were designed to support both wet and dry laboratory uses and included the installation of new mechanical systems that are energy efficient and code compliant.

In addition to ZGF Architects, the project team consisted of New York-based LVI Services as the general contractor for Phase I, Denver-based PCL Construction Services Inc. as the general contractor for Phases II and III, and construction manager Gafcon and Benchmark Contractors Inc. in a joint venture.