This five-story, moment-frame office and classroom building contains flexible spaces for interdisciplinary social sciences research. The project team created mock-ups to help ensure that the exterior facade of brick, precast concrete and mosaic tile matched the architectural style of the surrounding campus. The contemporary interior has glass and wood finishes. An open atrium allows for strong visual connections from one floor to another, while a 20-ft-wide central stair features seating platforms that can function as small gathering spaces.

During the project, contractors and designers used building information modeling and Revit to target any feasibility issues and also to help visualize and shape spaces. The project team says modeling also greatly assisted with construction phasing and scheduling, especially for exterior finishes, which consist of two main elements: large, precast concrete units supported by tube steel and metal-stud framing that supports the brick facade. By using design-build and months of up-front planning for the project’s complex skin, builders refined details for precast connections, metal-stud support framing, window integration and sheet metal and flashing integration into the waterproofing systems.

After crews used mock-ups to refine the brick blend, caulking and precast colors, designers decided to have the exterior sandblasted to provide an aged look that more closely matches other campus structures.

Contractor Morley Builders led the coordination and installation of a complex system that evacuates smoke from the atrium through the top of an atrium plenum.

Early, rigorous plan review and refinement of drawings enabled contractors to maintain quality control. Constant field verifications and surveys ensured that  contractors met tight construction tolerances.

USC Dr. Verna and Peter Dauterive Hall

Los Angeles

Key Players
Owner University of Southern California
Lead Design Firm HKS Architects
Contractor Morley Builders
Structural Engineer John A. Martin & Associates
Civil Engineer KPFF Consulting Engineers
MEP Engineer IBE Consulting Engineers (Stantec)
Geotechnical Engineer Geotechnologies Inc.
Subcontractors ACCO Engineered Systems; Willis Construction Co.