Collocating UCI’s schools of Engineering, Information & Computer Science, and Physical Sciences for the first time, the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building creates a new collaborative hub that serves as a catalyst for research innovation and creates a model of cross-disciplinary collaboration.
The program includes wet and dry laboratories, lab support spaces, research offices, formal and informal interaction spaces and an internal open-air courtyard. Laboratory modules are consolidated across fewer floor levels, providing flexibility to adapt to programmatic changes over the life of the building, and optimizing building systems.
The design provides a holistic response to the diversity of disciplines housed here; program spaces are organized on six floor levels in an L-shape configuration, with labs located in the east-west bar and offices in the north wing, featuring views of the campus’ Ring Mall and Aldrich Park. A central Community Hub interconnects the two parts of the building, serving as the focus of collaborative engagement across research disciplines. LMN’s design achieved approximately 27,700 additional square feet beyond project mandates and dedicates this additional area to program functions and adequate interaction spaces that foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
The project has set a new standard for the future of research programs at UCI. It successfully embodies the University’s culture of collaboration and interdisciplinary engagement while providing cost-effective spatial solutions for the highest quality research and office spaces. Every aspect of the design was conceived to optimize research functionality, foster social performance, and enrich the overall campus experience, keeping UCI at the forefront of innovation in higher education.
