UC Davis is consistently ranked the top veterinarian program in the United States, creating high demand for more teaching facilities. The UC Davis VetMed center is functional as it services the many dogs and cats of Davis, while also providing hands on training for veterinarian students, ensuring the continued quality of care for beloved pets across the nation.
When one walks up to the entrance, they are greeted by a perforated metal screen depicting a joyful image of cats and dogs. The concrete brutalist aesthetic of the building remains, as the team was tasked to reimagine the interior layout. Due to the building’s age, the team overcame design challenges that improved safety, such as adding an extensive fire alarm system through the building and connected library.
The design team determined 3 operating rooms with supportive services that fit within the existing building. The interior remodel emphasizes the presence of a distinct ‘scrubs’ and ‘no scrubs’ line, as a disease prevention method to keep patients and surgeons safe. To foster a sense of calm for surgeons during operations, a super graphic of Yosemite is featured in all OR rooms. It is an aesthetic as well as practical feature, as it doubles as a magnetic marker board. There is a specialized pulley system in the operating rooms to assist surgeons during hip replacement procedures and greenlighting to assist in sanitation efforts post-operation.
