Ernest E. Tschannen Science Complex

Project Details

Project Description

Process
The use of the Collaborative Design-Build process for the new Ernest E. Tschannen Science Complex merged traditional Design-Build and Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) methods into a new delivery system. Blending the collaborative, proactive nature of Design-Build with the open-book transparency of CMAR created a new Collaborative Design-Build team well versed in how to maximize benefits through advanced planning, communication with all stakeholders, and meeting all schedule milestones. The new process benefited the project with proactive project planning through professional preconstruction services.

The Collaborative Design-Build method encouraged open and honest dialogue among the entire team and client stakeholders to provide a successful and inspiring project. The Collaborative Design-Build team worked seamlessly to ensure that the design responded to the university’s goals and expectations. Sundt led the effort and oversaw the design process to ensure the project stayed within budget, incorporated constructability review concerns, and that it met the design phase schedule.

In addition to the core team, consultants and trade contractor partners were involved in the design process from the start so their systems would be integrated into the overall design. The Collaborative Design-Build team, consultants, and trade contractor partners participated in additional lean processes, such as pull planning sessions for each phase of the design to set deliverable dates for key transfer of information, which maintained a smooth design process. As well, the entire team utilized “Big Room” meetings at regular intervals to assure key information was shared and items were resolved. The Collaborative Design-Build team leveraged Building Information Modeling (BIM) and regularly used the data from the BIM model to ensure the project’s costs stayed on course.

Design
The new five-story, 96,631-square-foot $91 million Ernest E. Tschannen Science Complex at California State University, Sacramento (Sac State), designed by Los Angeles-based CO Architects, is a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient, light-filled science facility. Set on the banks of the American River, the facility provides faculty and students of Sac State’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics with indoor and outdoor collaboration spaces and terraces, 20 classroom labs, 10 research labs, one hybrid lab, two learning studios, one seminar room, a rooftop observatory, and a 120-seat planetarium that is also open to the community. The new complex defines an underused edge of the campus within the university’s science and engineering precinct, and gives a welcoming first impression to visitors and the local community. The facility is the university’s first new academic building in nearly 15 years.

CO Architects created the façade design in homage to the nearby American River. The concept relates to the rippling effect created when a stone is thrown into water. The location of the planetarium at the building’s inward inflection point represents the stone’s impact on the river, while the patterned window system radiates outward to emulate the ripples formed. Polished, dark concrete and spandrel glass, along with vertical and horizontal concrete bands and metal sunshades, additionally signify elements of nature.

Filled with natural light during the day, and a soft glow at night, the open and airy two-story lobby intersects two wings as the heart of the building. A sculptural stair floats within this space, inter-connecting the first two floors and displaying circulation aesthetically, while encouraging use as one of the main ways of circulation. Specially designed spaces encourage student collaboration and interaction.

Instructional laboratories have large expanses of glass adjacent to public corridors to promote “science on display” and connect students and faculty. These corridors branch out toward the east and west from central lobbies on each floor. An observatory accessible from the building’s rooftop features a retractable roof and two telescopes to serve as a location for viewing the cosmos. The planetarium has a 2,500-square-foot dome offering a versatile high-tech environment that serves as a venue for education, public events, and field trips for local K-12 classes and surrounding Sacramento community.

The integrated landscape, featuring a man-made earth berm and native plantings, provides opportunities for biologists and botanists to experiment and teach outside their labs. An outdoor plaza offers shade for gathering, studying, and resting. A green roof is accessible from a continuous ramp and stairs. This campus public space complements the Student Union across from the science complex and creates synergies as a campus activity node.

Achieving LEED Gold certification, the building’s shape and north-south orientation minimizes solar heat gain, increases energy efficiency, and reduces cost. Roof drains and site pavements draining to water-control devices—bioswales and a green roof—reduce the volume of on-site runoff by 25 percent. Shading strategies, reflective roof finishes, thermal-bridging, and interior LED lighting resist transferring heat to the building.