Stanford C.J. Huang School of Medicine — Palo Alto, CA

Concrete Core Upholds Structure’s Aesthetic

 
Stanford C.J. Huange School of Medicine Exterior at Dusk with Trees
Size
50,000 SF
Architect
WRNS Studio
Contractor
Devcon
Photographer
Blake Marvin

The new C.J. Huang building expands Stanford University School of Medicine’s presence on the Welch Road corridor of Palo Alto. The three-story building provides space for clinical trial leaders, researchers, coordinators and practitioners. The light-filled facility allows researchers to work in a pleasing daylit setting. The building includes a full underground basement and on-grade parking for approximately 150 vehicles. Holmes provided full structural engineering services.

The structure consists of reinforced concrete construction. A 30-foot typical structural grid was adopted to maximize architectural program flexibility over all floors, including the basement. This was achieved by the use of post-tensioned flat slabs and a highly efficient reinforced concrete shear core. The concrete structure was also integrated with the building’s aesthetic, including a dramatic 3-story freestanding column at the main lobby and a 25-foot roof slab cantilever over the entry garden.

The facility follows Stanford’s own seismic engineering guidelines as a non-critical Class 3 building for medical tenants. Through careful detailing of the shear walls, the building is expected to be quickly repairable after the Design Basis Earthquake (Moment Magnitude 7.0 on the nearby San Andreas fault), and to achieve Life Safety performance at the Maximum Considered Earthquake (MW 7.9 on the San Andreas).

Stanford C.J. Huange School of Medicine Exterior at Angle, Daytime
Stanford School of Medicine C.J. Huang Building Model
Stanford School of Medicine C.J. Huang Building Under Construction with Shear Core
Stanford School of Medicine C.J. Huang Building Under Construction Column Pour
Stanford School of Medicine C.J. Huang Building Under Construction Tension Rods
Stanford School of Medicine C.J. Huang Building Under Construction with Concrete Cantilever at Angle
Stanford School of Medicine C.J. Huang Building Under Construction Straight On Facacde
Stanford School of Medicine C.J. Huang Building Straight On Facade Length

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