Title:
UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building
Author(s):
Leo Panian
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
ws_F23_Panian.pdf
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
10/29/2023
Abstract:
The presentation will describe the unconventional process and team strategy to achieve one of the country’s first multi-disciplinary facilities focused on mental healthcare, research, and training. The design vision was to create a building worthy of its program of mental health, with a calm and inviting environment that felt less institutional than a typical healthcare facility. At the same time, the University’s Technical Performance Criteria extends beyond code for structural and non-structural elements of the building, so the structural design needed to provide enhanced seismic performance to protect the facility from damage or downtime after a significant seismic event. The team turned to a thin profile post-tensioned (PT) concrete structural system to achieve the design goals, while also providing a sixth story, which would have not been possible with steel construction. Special Reinforced Concrete shear walls brace the building against wind and seismic forces. The structure rises five stories over a basement level, with a central atrium and meditative roof deck. The PT system was specially adapted to meet the durability and long-term flexibility goals desired by UCSF by increasing coverage over tendons and relying more on mild reinforcement. The concrete seismic system was designed to limit seismic movement and provide enhanced resilience and post-earthquake functionality. By leveraging sophisticated shaking simulations, Tipping honed and optimized a seismic solution that would limit expected drifts to about half the code limit. An innovative performance-based design approach also allowed for a design that effectively used the basement structure as a back-stay to anchor the shear walls for overturning, eliminating the need for deep foundations. Finally, low-carbon concrete mixes, which minimized the amount of portland cement, were specified throughout to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the structure.