UCSC Cowell Student Health Center illuminated at night
UCSC Cowell Student Health Center courtyard
UCSC Cowell Student Health Center bridge to addition
Student patient waiting area

UC Santa Cruz Cowell Student Health Center

The new Cowell Student Health Center aligns with the overall environmental goals of the University by supporting the health and well being of the student population, staff, its forested site and the environment.

Completed
2011
Location
Santa Cruz, CA
Client
University of California
Size
35,000 s.f.
Photography
Bernard Andre
Certifications
LEED Gold

The renovation and expansion project was undertaken to support student health care delivery for the growing student body. Careful planning was required to incorporate all of the programmatic and seismic upgrade requirements, minimize the site impact, and allow uninterrupted health care services to continue in the building during construction. The project consists of a renovated three-story, 23,619 SF, U-shaped structure and a new, 11,020 SF wing. The addition is connected to a new two story lobby at the east end of the existing building via a covered walkway. Siting the addition as a separate structure accessed via a bridge, allowed most of the existing trees to be preserved and enclosed the existing courtyard which is dominated by a grove of mature redwoods. This is the first LEED Gold Building at UCSC.

Awards
2011 Excellence in Structural Engineering - Award of Merit in Sustainable Design
2011 San Jose/ Silicon Valley Business Journal - Green Project of the Year, Public
"Expanding, renovating, and seismically reinforcing the Cowell Health Center was an extremely demanding project. We chose HPS for their broad range of experience—in health care, in working with complex clients, and in creative construction approaches—and for their demonstrated commitment to sustainability. We made an excellent choice: HPS’s work with UCSC throughout a long and challenging schedule was marked by imagination, tenacity, and technical expertise."
Frank Zwart, FAIA, FAUA Campus Architect Emeritus