Structural work completes on marquee projects in healthcare, higher-ed, collegiate sports and corporate workplace.
HOK recently celebrated the topping out of projects for Kedren Children’s Village, Mutual of Omaha’s new headquarters and three new facilities for University of California, Berkeley. Each project represents a dedication to delivering adaptable, environmentally conscious designs that meet clients’ needs—even as needs change.
Kedren Children’s Village (Los Angeles, California)
Kedren Children’s Village is the first pediatric-focused behavioral health hospital in South Los Angeles and one of just a few nationwide. It will provide a full continuum of services with dedicated buildings for inpatient psychiatric care, outpatient services and a transitional housing development on a single campus.
The design-build team of HOK and McCarthy are delivering three main buildings as well as a parking structure, physical therapy gym and outdoor garden. The Village’s design is informed by evidence-based practices to prioritize safety, flexibility and sustainability (targeting LEED Gold). Interior and exterior design elements incorporate a quilt motif to represent the diversity and warmth of the surrounding Watts community. The project underscores the health system’s commitment to eliminating health disparities in South Los Angeles.
Mutual of Omaha Headquarters (Omaha, Nebraska)
HOK is leading interior design for the Mutual of Omaha Tower in downtown Omaha. The new 800,000-sq.-ft. headquarters for the insurance company is the tallest building in Nebraska—677 feet high with 44 stories.
HOK conducted employee surveys, focus groups and leader interviews to determine the insurance company’s needs for a hybrid workplace. The result will be a dynamic, flexible environment that promotes productivity, creativity and well-being. The 22 levels of office space will give employees the ability to choose between environments supporting collaborative, focused and virtual work. Five floors will house amenities including a “sky lobby,” dining, fitness and wellness services and landscaped outdoor terraces. The conference center on the top floor offers dramatic views of downtown.
University of California, Berkeley, Heathcock Hall (Berkeley, California)
University of California (UC) Berkeley’s College of Chemistry recently topped out its first new building project since 1997. The 80,000-sq.-ft. Healthcock Hall will feature six stories of modern laboratory space supporting research in synthetic chemistry, physical chemistry, and chemical and biomolecular engineering. The building location sits at a prominent place on campus and serves as a new northern gateway to the University.
HOK collaborated closely with college faculty and staff to develop a modular, environmentally efficient design (targeting LEED Silver and carbon neutrality) that aims to attract top researchers and reinvigorate the campus’ eastern gateway. The project implements resilient design practices, using spatial daylight and solar energy to deliver a sustainable, high-performance building.
University of California, Berkeley Cal Beach Volleyball Complex (Berkeley, California)
UC Berkeley hired HOK also to design a new NCAA regulation beach volleyball facility that will house the women’s intercollegiate volleyball program.
The program includes five sand volleyball courts, a 3,000-sq.-ft. team building, a berm area for spectator seating, outdoor showers and outdoor team areas. The beam-free mass timber structure features a floating CLT roof that extends beyond the building’s footprint. Other amenities include a team lounge, locker rooms and shower areas, a coach’s office, support spaces and equipment storage.
The berm blends into the natural topography of the site and creates a space for spectator viewing. Passive design strategies reduce cooling loads, invite natural light and ventilation, and reduce embodied carbon in support of the project targeting LEED Gold.
University of California, Berkeley Cal Softball Field Renovation (Berkeley, California)
The Cal Softball Field Renovation will upgrade the home of the Golden Bears softball program—one of the most successful in the nation—to meet modern NCAA Division I competition standards with compliant field dimensions, training facilities, team locker rooms, spectator seating and improved accessibility overall.
HOK’s design involves an approximately 30,000-sq.-ft. two-story precast concrete seating bowl structure housing a bullpen, concourse and press box, with 1,515 permanent seats extending out around the field. Enclosed spaces within the structure include locker rooms, lounges and a training room. The renovated field will use new fine-grained aggregate material in the infield and synthetic turf on the outfield, replacing the existing grass. A new main entrance on Centennial Drive will provide a seamless arrival experience with gathering spaces and landscaping.