Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Design-Build Project of the Year Redefines Student Living

  • 11/14/17

WASHINGTON, DC – The nation’s leading design-build association has named the University of California, Irvine’s Mesa Court student housing towers it’s 2017 Project of the Year.

“The Mesa Court project provides a state-of-the art, dynamic community hub for students, faculty and the entire community, relegating the very idea of dorm living to the dusty pages of old college yearbooks. This project exemplifies the best of what design-build delivers in projects nationwide. Innovation and collaboration delivered not only a spectacular student residence but a real contribution to the entire UC-Irvine community,” says Lisa Washington, executive director/CEO, Design-Build Institute of America.

This 250,000 square-foot expansion project includes new residence halls, study rooms, computer labs, great rooms, a fitness center, recreational room, student office space, community kitchenettes and laundry facilities—not to mention a cutting-edge dining facility which redefines the concept of college cafeteria dining. Mesa Court Towers is a dynamic student life hub developed as three five-story midrise residence halls above a large podium containing diverse community spaces for the building’s 884 residents. Shared amenities include flexible classrooms and study rooms, group kitchens, a fitness center, student center and lounges.

The Mesa Court design-build team’s goal to create a “learn to live” environment was based on the understanding that learning does not stop after students leave the lecture hall. Blending student life and academic life is key to a fulfilling campus-living experience. Mesa Court Towers was designed with versatile educational and recreation spaces interspersed throughout the building creating a vibrant nexus of student life around the clock.

DBIA’s Project of the Year embraces all aspects of Design-Build Done Right™ and goes far beyond the basic requirements of DBIA awards submissions. The winner of this award demonstrates innovative solutions to project challenges, delivers a unique and high-quality design, effectively utilizing emerging technology and exceeding expectations for project outcomes. All projects submitted for DBIA project awards, regardless of size or sector, are considered for this honor.

All of the 2017 national design-build award winners can be found online.

Project Snapshot
Owner: University of California, Irvine
Design-Build Firm: Hensel Phelps
General Contractor: Hensel Phelps
Architect: Mithun, Inc.
Engineers: KHR Associates, Michael Wall Engineering

The Design-Build Institute of America, based in Washington, DC, is the only membership organization bringing together thousands of organizations and individuals representing architects, engineers, owners, contractors, manufacturers (and more) to define, teach and promote best practices in design-build.

Featured

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.

  • Minnesota District Opens New PreK–12 School

    Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop Schools in Gibbon, Minn., recently announced that construction is complete on a new, $68.9-million school for students in grades PreK–12, according to a news release.

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.