New School of Medicine Education Building Promotes Inclusive and Innovative Learning EnvironmentsUniversity of California Regents Approve Building at UC Riverside

The Regents of the University of California have given final approval for the construction of the School of Medicine’s new $84-million Education Building II at UC Riverside.

The Regents confirmed the selection of Hensel Phelps + CO Architects as the design-build partner for the project.  The team was selected by the School of Medicine Education II working group and the UCR Office of Planning, Design, and Construction following a design-build competition.  The project is starting immediately and is scheduled to break ground in early Summer 2021.

“I would like to thank the UC Regents for their approval of this project, which will give us the space we need to grow our class sizes to 125 students per year and continue to fulfill the mission of increasing the number of physicians in the underserved inland Southern California,” says Dr. Deborah Deas, vice chancellor of health sciences and the Mark and Pam Rubin Dean of the UCR School of Medicine.  “I am thrilled with the design concept that our design-build partner Hensel Phelps + CO Architects developed.  There is so much to be excited about.”

“Hensel Phelps is excited to be back on the UC Riverside campus,” says Eric Bain, operations manager for the project.  “At the core of our design and construction efforts is the desire to support, promote, and advance the campus’ vision to create an inclusive and innovative learning environment.  The Hensel Phelps + CO Architects design-build team looks forward to working side by side with UCR to create a new home for the School of Medicine that will be a focal point on campus and within the broader Riverside County community.”

“We have partnered with Hensel Phelps on other strategic pursuits for the University of California and have highly refined the process to deliver exceptional buildings,” says James Simeo, FAIA, principal at CO Architects and project design lead.  “We anticipate the completion of the UCR School of Medicine’s Education Building II approximately two years after ground-breaking.  The new, five-story facility will create a new home for the School of Medicine, prioritizing collaborative spaces for students, faculty, and staff.”

The design includes a large outdoor plaza that unifies and defines a new School of Medicine precinct on campus.  LEED Platinum certification will be targeted with many environmentally sensitive building systems incorporated into the design.  Extensive use of solar panels and advanced mechanical systems design, along with state-of-the-art thermally insulating materials, will minimize energy consumption.

About UCR

The University of California, Riverside, is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state, and communities around the world.  Reflecting California’s diverse culture, UCR’s enrollment is more than 25,000 students.  The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of almost $2 billion.

About the UCR School of Medicine

Opened in 2013, the UCR School of Medicine has a mission to improve the health of the people of California and, especially, to serve inland Southern California—a medically underserved region—by training a diverse workforce of physicians and developing innovative research and health care delivery programs that become models to be emulated throughout the state and nation.  The community-based medical school also offers a doctoral program in biomedical sciences and operates or partners in several residency training and fellowship programs, including those in the medical specialties of family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, and cardiovascular medicine.

About Hensel Phelps

Hensel Phelps is recognized as one of the premier general contracting firms in the United States since 1937, specializing in planning, building, and managing facilities in every building sector, including health care, aviation, higher education, federal, and justice.  Our people are committed to delivering the highest quality solutions and creating the most innovative and efficient facilities for our clients, from conception through construction, operations, and asset management.  As one of Southern California's largest construction employers, our firm has been an engaged community partner in the Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego markets for more than 30 years.

About CO Architects

Los Angeles-based CO Architects is nationally recognized for architectural planning, programming, and design in the higher education, science and technology, and health care sectors, and works with leading institutions from coast to coast.  CO Architects’ specialized expertise includes transformative schools of medicine and health professions, advanced research and teaching laboratories, and innovative clinical facilities on higher education, health care, and urban campuses.  The firm has been nationally and internationally recognized with more than 175 awards for innovative design and project delivery, including the AIA California’s Architecture Firm of the Year Award.