The first phase of a new ZGF-designed innovation district slated for the University of California, Davis campus has taken a step forward. 

The 1.2 million-square-foot development will span 8.25 acres and is set to include 200 housing units, 500,000 square feet of science, technology and engineering spaces, 250,000 square feet of classroom and coworking facilities, and 30,000 square feet of commercial uses, all spread out across four buildings. 

For the private-public partnership project, coordinated between the university and developers Wexford Science & Technology, ZGF has designed a series modulated glass-wrapped mid-rise towers surrounding the development's namesake plaza. The buildings offer porous connections to the tree-filled plaza space, and feature arcades and ground floor commercial spaces.

The district is designed specifically to "co-locate private industry investment, robust 'innovation infrastructure' for startups, as well as community-based partnerships," according to a recent university statement.

The development partnership employed for the project⁠—UC Davis owns the site and has extended a long-term lease to the developer⁠—allows the university to curate ground floor commercial spaces so that they offer certain "community serving uses."

The project is slated for a potential 2021 ground-breaking.