Project Profile: University of California Irvine, Medical Education Building

Image: (c) Ryan Gobuty

Gensler recently completed a renovation of the Medical Education Building at University of California Irvine which spanned multiple project types including an anatomy lab, Active Learning Center, student lounge, classrooms, and offices. Lab Design spoke to Susan Lai a design manager and David Johnson a design director at Gensler to learn more about the project.

When and how was the decision reached to develop this lab facility? Did it replace an existing facility, or was it developed to meet the need for a new facility?

Susan Lai: In 2020, the University of California Irvine invited Gensler to review their existing gross anatomy lab, which is currently in another building on campus.  It was inadequate in terms of ventilation and technology used for teaching, so there was a real need to renovate and update this for current-day medical education students. We were asked to design a new anatomy lab in the basement of UCI’s Medical Education building, replacing an existing lecture hall. 

David Johnson: The existing tiered lecture hall in the basement was originally built to support a didactic mode of learning, where the instructor lectures to over 100 students.  Now, there has been a shift in health science education to focus on experiential, hands-on learning, and peer-to-peer learning. The lecture hall was working against this new model both metaphorically and programmatically. 

By removing the tiers, we were able to create a flat-floor, active learning anatomy lab. We integrated AV technology at the cadaver tables where four to six students can work and learn together, effectively blending the lecture and hands-on activities with peer-to-peer learning within the lab. Faculty are free to roam, observe, and guide students through the learning process.

Susan Lai: We also renovated additional floors of the building to have an active learning classroom space on the third floor, as well as faculty office workspaces and student study lounges on the fourth floor.   

What kinds of sustainability initiatives have been included in the design plan?

David Johnson: A foundational sustainable element is the reuse of the existing building and UCI’s commitment to optimizing the space.  Rethinking a building’s use is a big step in reducing carbon and climate impact.

Susan Lai: During the renovation, we maximized the combination of natural daylighting and LED lights for faculty offices, the student lounges, and the large active classroom, reducing energy consumption.

Another aspect of sustainability is producing a healthy building for the students and campus.  We installed an exhaust shaft that goes from the basement to above the penthouse roof. This shaft exhausts any chemicals from the basement anatomy lab.  We did a wind study to make sure other others on campus do not experience any of the smells or chemicals that are expelled.

In selecting interior finishes, we specified products that meet sustainability standards.  We followed the Gensler Product Sustainability Standards (GPS), which outline sustainability criteria for the most used, high-impact product categories for interior projects.   

David Johnson: And the finishes are beautiful, incorporating biophilia with the selection of natural colors and patterns as well as the warmth of wood to create an environment where people really enjoy spending time.

Is there anything particularly unique about your facility or the design plan?

Susan Lai: The most unique aspect of the Gross Anatomy Lab design was taking a space that was designed for one type of pedagogy and re-designing it to support a better way of learning. We went from a traditional rote-memorization lecture style to a collaborative and interactive Case-Based learning style.

David Johnson: We expanded on the transformation of the Gross Anatomy Lab and reflected it in the other spaces, such as the Active Learning Classrooms.  We designed a new active learning ecosystem that brings together 140 students in a single space. Students are organized in groups of six to eight with technology at the table to support the peer-to-peer learning model. Like the anatomy lab, students work in groups to discuss, and the instructor facilitates group discussions with the larger classroom. Smaller breakout rooms that support the same small groups are arranged around the central Active Learning Classroom. Groups can migrate to their breakout rooms for more intense working sessions and then come back together in the large setting to share findings and results.   It is a cohesive space designed to support the UCI Medical Education pedagogy and curriculum.

Image: (c) Ryan Gobuty

Susan Lai: If the Active Learning Classroom is the Hub, the smaller breakout rooms are the spokes.

What sorts of challenges did you encounter during the design/build process, and how did you overcome them?

Susan Lai: Lab conversions in existing buildings are always a challenge, especially during the construction process.  Specifically, undocumented conditions were uncovered during the demolition, so we had to do a lot of problem-solving and quick thinking. 

Another challenge was dealing with the shaft that goes through the center of the building. As we discussed, it is an important systems component of the anatomy lab.  We did some early preconstruction work to see if the interior core was a viable location for the shaft. But it’s not until you start construction on a four-story shaft in a tight space of an existing building that you realize there is a lot of coordination that needs to take place. 

David Johnson: Dealing with basements, where all the main mechanical and plumbing systems are located, combined with the transformation of the tiered lecture hall, was a significant challenge and commitment by UCI.

How was lab manager/researcher input incorporated into this design plan? Did you meet with lab users in the kickoff meetings or rely on lab managers to collect their staff members’ input to relay to you?

David Johnson: We had several workshops during the conceptual design and programming phase, and they continued during the design phase. We were talking with the lab managers and the faculty who created the curriculum, considering the multiple levels of input as we were designing.

Susan Lai: User input was critical to the success of this project. We started early in the process to understand how the faculty teaches.  They shared how students would move through the two anatomy labs and between the classrooms.

For the anatomy lab, we would talk directly to the professor and stakeholders who had a clear idea of the type of lab casework they wanted. Early on, they expressed their desire for specific body carriers, scrub basins, scullery sinks, autopsy stations, garbage disposals, and surgical lights. Having early input was crucial.

David Johnson: And it was tricky business, too. They came from an outdated gross anatomy lab, so they shared examples of how they taught in their old space while also sharing examples of how their peers at other institutions taught in newer spaces. Gensler also brought design examples and new ways of thinking about space to ask questions about curriculum.  It became a rich dialogue that allowed us to create something unique that supported their specific teaching needs.

Susan Lai: We also asked for input from students. UCI put together a Student Advisory Board, and this board shared its needs and wants with the faculty, who, in turn, shared their feedback with us.

David Johnson: From the students, we were getting feedback that they wanted choice when it came to common spaces. So, we created a nice variety of spaces – a distinct study zone, focus booths, open areas, a maker lab, and a student lounge.  We also planned for lockers and made them more public facing. The lockers are also adjacent to the lounge, providing more organic opportunities for students to come together.

Susan Lai: Students want a range of seating and study options, fostering a highly innovative and non-competitive student environment. These are our future doctors, and when they enter the workforce, they will be accustomed to collaborating with their peers.

If a similar facility or program were to look at your facility for inspiration, what do you think they would take away as an example of what they should also implement in their own lab?

Susan Lai: The inspirational element is how we are helping future doctors by using design to support case-based learning.  We supported a new way of learning in a typically traditional teaching program. 

David Johnson:   In our projects, we strive to provide a comprehensive approach to a learning ecosystem. We are building off that peer-to-peer interaction in all spaces, whether it is in the anatomy lab, the formal classroom environment, or extending the social spaces.

Even in the circulation spaces and hallways, there are those in-between spaces for people to come together and have that casual interaction – the “water-cooler” space.  We are thinking about the life and experience of the students outside of the classroom.

Susan Lai:  We call these spaces ‘Active Connectors.’ Students have an organic space to connect with professors and peers.  They continued the discussions that they had started in the breakout rooms. Our inspiration goals are to use design to inspire students and future medical professionals to connect, engage, and innovate with those around them. 

Image: (c) Ryan Gobuty