Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care, Irvine, California
Operated by UCI Health—the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine—the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care brings outpatient services to the health system’s medical complex in Irvine, Calif. The Wen Center is designed to expand access to UCI Health’s multidisciplinary care and university-backed clinical research while modernizing infrastructure to meet the needs of the rapidly growing Orange County region.
The 168,000-square-foot facility houses 120 exam rooms and key programs such as the Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Organized across five floors are dedicated areas for primary and specialty care, including cardiology, orthopedics, and urgent care, as well as pediatric services through the Center for Children’s Health.
The project team, including SmithGroup (Los Angeles) and Taylor Design (Los Angeles), focused on delivering a calm, restorative care environment in harmony with the nearby San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. This connection to nature is woven into every aspect of the building, from its façade and marsh-facing orientation to its interior finishes and therapeutic spaces.
Environmental stewardship at the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care
Certified LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council, the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care is powered by an all-electric central utilities plant. In addition, the center features all-electric heat recovery chillers, a high-performing building envelope with external shading, high-efficiency LED fixtures combined with daylight harvesting, and a stormwater management system.
Interior spaces prioritize low‑emitting, sustainable materials, including 80 percent biobased, Cradle‑to‑Cradle Certified sheet flooring. The remaining flooring contains high recycled content, is carbon‑neutral, and incorporates nylon carpeting made from reclaimed fishing nets.
Additionally, ceiling tiles contain high pre‑ and post‑consumer recycled content and 95 percent USDA‑certified biobased material.
Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care, Irvine, California, project details
Project: Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care
Location: Irvine, Calif.
Completion date: April 2024
Owner: University of California, Irvine
Total building area: 168,000 sq. ft.
Total construction cost: $124.9 million
Cost/sq. ft.: Not disclosed
Architect: SmithGroup (in collaboration with Taylor Design)
Interior designer: Taylor Design (interior clinic spaces); SmithGroup (oversight and medical planning)
General contractor: McCarthy Building Companies
Engineers: KPFF (civil and structural), P2S, Inc (MEP)
Builder: McCarthy Building Companies
Lighting: SmithGroup
Signage/wayfinding: Sanchez Kamps (SK Design)
Project details are provided by the design team and not vetted by Healthcare Design.
