Administrators at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington didn’t think much of the 1970s building they planned to turn into the school’s Cell and Genome Sciences Building. It’s not that the former toxicology research facility was in such terrible shape, but the 117,800-sf structure had almost no windows and its interior was dark and chopped up.
Enter the Building Team of Goody Clancy (architect) and FIP Construction (GC), who worked with the university to create an open, bright, and sustainable home (targeting LEED Silver) for three major research programs: UConn Stem Cell Institute, the R.D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, and the Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology.
But how to get daylight deep into the lab spaces? Fortunately, the one-story framework allowed light to be brought in from above. The Building Team ran a 464-foot-long skylight the length of the main corridor, and clerestory windows were installed above the “Crossroads,” a central gathering and eating space that features a newly raised roof.
Additional daylighting comes from 56 new windows installed in exterior walls—not an easy task, given the building’s concrete panel construction. The team calculated the maximum window size allowable without compromising the panels and then standardized all windows to that size. Louvered sunshades were added above each of these.
Interior walls were also punched through with window openings to further distribute daylight. Leaving interior walls largely in place also kept construction costs down, to $259/sf (inclusive of site work). Also helping the budget: refurbishing and reconfiguring existing metal casework in research labs, which were extensively upgraded to modern research and safety standards, and finishing the new 100-seat auditorium in wood paneling left over from another campus project.
The facility’s wetlands site was carefully reconfigured to accommodate extra parking, and a bioretention pond was added to control runoff and keep stormwater out of the town’s sewer system. Also, because the existing building lacked a recognizable “front door,” a proper front entrance was added.
“It’s very difficult to do these types of buildings, and this one was very well done,” said David Callan, SVP, Environmental Systems Design, Chicago. “Excellent job on a low budget.” BD+C
PROJECT SUMMARY
Building Team
Submitting firm: Goody Clancy (architect)
Owner/developer: University of Connecticut Health Center
CM: FIP Construction
Structural engineer: LeMessurier Consultants Inc.
M/E engineer: Cosentini Associates
Plumbing engineer: BVH Integrated Services
General Information
Size: 117,813 gsf
Construction cost: $30.53 million
Construction time: September 2008 to June 2010
Delivery method: CM at risk
Related Stories
Reconstruction & Renovation | Mar 28, 2022
Is your firm a reconstruction sector giant?
Is your firm active in the U.S. building reconstruction, renovation, historic preservation, and adaptive reuse markets? We invite you to participate in BD+C's inaugural Reconstruction Market Research Report.
Legislation | Mar 28, 2022
LEED Platinum office tower faces millions in fines due to New York’s Local Law 97
One Bryant Park, also known as the Bank of America Tower, in Manhattan faces an estimated $2.4 million in annual fines when New York City’s York’s Local Law 97 goes into effect.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 25, 2022
Health group converts bank building to drive-thru clinic
Edward-Elmhurst Health and JTS Architects had to get creative when turning an American Chartered Bank into a drive-thru clinic for outpatient testing and vaccinations.
Higher Education | Mar 24, 2022
Higher education sector sees 19 percent reduction in facilities investments
Colleges and universities face a growing backlog of capital needs and funding shortfalls, according to Gordian’s 2022 State of Facilities in Higher Education report.
Architects | Mar 16, 2022
James Hoban: Designer and builder of the White House
Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, chats with BD+C Executive Editor Robert Cassidy about James Hoban, the Irish draftsman and builder who convinced George Washington to let him design and build the White House.
Architects | Mar 16, 2022
Diébédo Francis Kéré named 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize recipient
Diébédo Francis Kéré, architect, educator and social activist, has been selected as the 2022 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, announced Tom Pritzker, Chairman of The Hyatt Foundation, which sponsors the award that is regarded internationally as architecture’s highest honor.
Architects | Mar 10, 2022
Gyo Obata, FAIA, HOK Founding Partner, passes away at 99
Obata's career spanned six decades and included iconic projects like the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Mo.
AEC Tech Innovation | Mar 9, 2022
Meet Emerge: WSP USA's new AEC tech incubator
Pooja Jain, WSP’s VP-Strategic Innovation, discusses the pilot programs her firm’s new incubator, Emerge, has initiated with four tech startup companies. Jain speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield about the four AEC tech firms to join Cohort 1 of the firm’s incubator.
Architects | Mar 2, 2022
FGM Architects and LeMay Erickson Willcox Architects join forces
FGM Architects announced that LeMay Erickson Wilcox Architects, a 19-person architectural studio based in Reston, VA is joining their firm.
Architects | Mar 1, 2022
Alyson Steele Elected President and CEO of Quinn Evans
(2.25.22) Alyson Steele, FAIA, LEED AP, has been elected president and chief executive officer of Quinn Evans, a nationally recognized firm providing architecture, planning, interior design, landscape architecture, and historic preservation services. Steele has been with the firm since 1997 and previously served as executive vice president and chief design officer. She succeeds Larry Barr, FAIA, who will continue to serve on the board of directors.
