Empowering a new era in medicine at UCLA

Los Angeles, CA, USA
Exterior view of the UCLA Biomedical Sciences Research Building and Orthopaedic Hospital Research Center.

The UCLA Biomedical Sciences Research Building and Orthopaedic Hospital Research Center fosters collaborative investigation and crossover discoveries among interdisciplinary scholars. This vibrant facility occupies a prominent site adjacent to the historic north campus with the Court of Sciences to the west and the Medical Center to the south. In an inspiring environment with state-of-the-art tools and equipment, researchers collaborate with faculty across departments, including biological chemistry; microbiology; immunology and molecular genetics; and molecular, cell, and developmental biology.

"This innovative addition to our campus will help us maximize UCLA's strength as an interdisciplinary community of scholars in which collaboration is key to comprehensively addressing tough questions." — Dr. Gene Block, Chancellor of UCLA
The design reinforces the pedestrian connections between the Medical Center to the south and the remainder of the campus to the north.

Joining forces to discover cures and transformative treatments

Every aspect of the facility is designed to create a collaborative environment that maximizes the potential of modern biomedical tools and establishes a deep sense of community among research leaders from interrelated disciplines. With over 450 scholars, students, and staff collaborating across departments, this dynamic facility is anchored by a circular staircase that offers connections across floors throughout both buildings. The four above-grade floors of each building house laboratories, laboratory support, conference rooms, and investigators' offices. The vivarium and mechanical services are below grade. The buildings face the popular Mathias Botanical Garden to the south and central campus entrance from Hilgard Avenue to the east.

The brick and cast stone exterior reinterprets the Neo-Romanesque architecture of older buildings on the historic central campus, with a contemporary arrangement and proportion of the materials.

More About the Project

Project Team

Principal Collaborators

  • Structural Engineer: Englekirk Structural Engineers
  • MEP: AEI Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
  • Laboratory Planner: GPR Planners Collaborative, Inc.

Project Information

  • Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Client: University of California, Los Angeles
  • Size: 225,000 sq. ft. / 20,900 sq. m.
  • Completion: 2007
  • Firm Role: Full Service Architect
  • Principal Project Photography: Jeff Goldberg/ESTO