UCI Medical Center Irvine

The UCI Medical Center – Irvine’s specialty Hospital, Ambulatory Care Center, Central Plant and parking structure project is successfully on track via a rapid 56-month Progressive Design-Build process towards completion of the 1st ‘all-electric’ Hospital in the nation. While delivering the innovative clinical programs needed for the prestigious academic medical, teaching and research institution the project seamlessly melds an optimized patient experience with equally innovative energy efficiency, solar control and carbon-free building operations. The new facilities adjoin the UCI campus and the protected San Joaquin wetland and wildlife sanctuary. While creating a patient and staff experience that takes advantage of this unique natural environment the integrated inpatient and outpatient facilities represent a paradigm shift in integration of clinical operations to enable efficient and leading patient care. The design-build team of Hensel Phelps + CO Architects and UCI collaboratively explored these innovative approaches to cost-effectively implement the specialty clinical programs while achieving carbon-free and energy efficient operation.

Tom Chessum, FAIA Principal CO Architects

Tom Chessum has devoted his 40+ year architectural career to healthcare, research and higher education. Tom’s experience ranges from bench to bedside – from prestigious biosciences projects such as The Salk Institute East Building to comprehensive healthcare projects for Palomar Health, UCLA, UCI and Kaiser Permanente in Southern California. Tom speaks to, and writes for, national client and professional forums. His projects have been published nationally and have garnered awards from Modern Healthcare, Healthcare Design, and the American Institute of Architects. Tom joined the firm in 1986 as one of its original members. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California.

Gina Chang, AIA, EDAC Principal CO Architects

Gina Chang is a project manager, healthcare architect and medical planner who has successfully led large teams through ambitious project goals. With over 20 years of experience, Gina understands the complex and unique nature of healthcare projects. She is an advocate for evidence-based design and sees each project as an opportunity to create an environment for healing and wellness. Gina joined CO Architects in 2007 as a medical planner and project coordinator for Palomar Medical Center, followed by roles as project manager for the UC San Diego Outpatient Pavilion and the SJH Queen of the Valley Medical Center Herman Family Pavilion. Gina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, and is EDAC certified.

Fabian Kremkus, AIA LEED GA Principal CO Architects

Fabian Kremkus has worked nationally and internationally on academic and research facilities, secondary schools, hospitals, and corporate headquarters, sports, and entertainment facilities during his over-25-year architectural career. Since joining the firm in 1999, Fabian has served as the designer for major museum, performing arts, research, healthcare, higher education and justice facilities in Southern California and throughout the country. His enthusiastic devotion to the profession of architecture and craft of building is unsurpassed, and his approach to each project merges design sensitivity with great attention to detail and craft. Fabian holds both a Master of Architecture and a Pre-diploma of Architecture from the University of Braunschweig, Germany.

Kevin McCausland, Associate AIA Associate Principal CO Architects

Kevin McCausland is a senior medical planner with over 25 years of national healthcare experience in master planning, strategic planning, operational planning and programming, and medical and equipment planning. Kevin has successfully worked with major academic medical center clients such as UC San Diego, UC San Francisco, University of Virginia and University of Washington, as well as many of the regional and national healthcare systems such as Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health, Sutter Health, Providence Health, SUNY/Stony Brook University Hospital, St. Luke’s/Cornwall Health System and South Nassau Communities Hospital. Kevin has led multi-disciplinary teams in the operational planning and programming of major hospital expansions, replacements and mergers. He holds a Master of Architecture in Healthcare Facility Planning and Design, and a Bachelor of Science in Design, both from Clemson University.

Jill Cheng, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Senior Associate CO Architects

Jill Cheng has over 20 years of experience in planning, design and project management for institutional projects including healthcare, higher educational, justice facilities, and corporate and housing facilities. She is skilled at the mechanics and analytical skills required to successfully navigate a project through the complex system of codes and guidelines that surround these projects. Jill is currently leading the UCI Medical Center-Irvine construction efforts for CO Architects.

Learning Objectives

Learning objective 1: Demonstrate how innovative planning strategies can respond to a rapidly changing healthcare delivery system with an eye toward flexibility and future-proofing.

Learning objective 2: Illustrate how the addition of a program & budget alignment phase of the design/build effort can prioritize and ensure the inclusion of the most valued innovative strategies without increasing the budget or delaying the schedule.

Learning objective 3: Understand the importance of allowing the design to respond to, enhance and/or coexist with the uniqueness of the site and the community it supports.

Learning objective 4: Learn about the healthcare-specific design challenges related to “all-electric” hospital design as these systems becomes another option in the drive towards carbon-free operations.

Parking Instructions: Paid parking is available at the building. Validation is not provided. Guests can park on Level-P1.