The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) named the UC Irvine Merage School of Business Addition as a winner in the Educational Facilities Category in its 20th annual Design-Build Project/Team Awards. DBIA is the only organization nationwide that defines, teaches and promotes best practices in design-build.

“To win a National Design-Build Project/Team Award, projects must not only achieve budget and schedule goals, but also demonstrate advanced and innovative application of design-build best practices,” said Lisa Washington, CAE, Executive Director/CEO of DBIA. “This year’s winning projects exemplify Design-Build done right…excellence in design, and extraordinary teaming performance.”

LMN teamed with associate architect Carrier Johnson + Culture and builder Hathaway Dinwiddie to compete for the commission within UC Irvine’s well-developed design build selection process. UCI’s team of project judges—comprised of design and construction professionals from both the campus and private sector—measures best value across 9 project categories. To ensure an objective jury process, authors of the design proposals are kept anonymous. The LMN team’s winning proposal garnered 92.5 of 100 total possible value points.

The completed Merage School of Business addition adjoins to the existing building to frame a central courtyard that serves as the social heart of the 5-story complex. A series of community spaces bridge from inside to outside across multiple floor-levels, supporting informal interaction and team-based learning activities that underlie contemporary business education. Careful integration of outdoor spaces within UCI Irvine’s campus planning framework interweave the Merage School’s culture of social performance with the daily life of the campus—leveraging the interdisciplinary nature of program to the enhance diverse academic spectrum of the University.

The project opened in early 2015 and is expected to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

Photo Credit: Lawrence Anderson Photography, Inc.