Project: 12,000 SF Ophthalmology Clinic

Location: Upland, CA

Date:1995

Quality: High

Above: Tiered brick planters enable the lush tropical landscaping to step down gracefully to the sidewalk, softening and at the same time, enhancing the facade. Red brick veneer, black glass and stainless steel were effectively used for exterior finishes.

Above: A freehand drawn early concept drawing used to illustrate the design intent. Sketches such as this play an important part in letting the owner imagine the look of the finished building

Above: Red brick was used to visually tie the sign to the rest of the building.

Below: The final building seen from almost the same vantage point.

This two story state-of-the-art facility includes two operating rooms, multiple examination rooms and an opticians.

Site restrictions meant that a two story building was unavoidable to provide the square footage required by the client. Consequently, an elevator was provided to link the building vertically and to ensure full handicap accessibility.

The structural system used was a moment-resisting steel frame. This was clad with a steel stud supported, thin brick veneer and tinted glass curtain walling. Stainless steel was added to the palette, not only to provide a pleasing contrast to the other materials, but also because of its durability and low maintenance characteristics.

The decision to use high quality design and materials was extended into the landscaping, an important element of any building and one that is all too often overlooked or underutilized.