The UC Davis Health 48X Complex, nestled within the busy UC Davis Health campus, stands as a landmark achievement in healthcare infrastructure—a state-of-the-art 260,000 sf ambulatory surgery center that ranks among the largest and most advanced facilities of its kind in the United States.

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Responding to a critical need for additional operating room capacity in the area, the four-story complex was equipped with 14 operating rooms as well as four interventional radiology rooms, 59 pre- and post-op patient bays, a 14-room 23-hour-stay unit, specialty clinics, a pharmacy, and administrative and support spaces.

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R+C served as the structural engineer of record for the project, which was delivered through Progressive Design-Build using LEAN strategies which included R+C leading pull planning sessions and implementing Target Value Design. Throughout the project, R+C worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the owner, architect, contractor, and other design team members in the Big Room to develop innovative solutions and resolve challenges in-real time.

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By employing a phased design approach, R+C accelerated the delivery of the complex ahead of the already-ambitious timeline—leading to the completion of the facility a month ahead of schedule. Additionally, R+C supported the contractor in incorporating prefabricated elements such as bathroom pods and a panelized cladding system to further advance the project’s schedule.

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R+C’s Building Systems Group (BSG) worked alongside our structural engineering team for the 48X Complex. BSG collaborated closely with the architect, equipment planner, contractor, and equipment manufacturers to ensure that all of the medical equipment and MEP systems in the facility were properly supported—from specialty operating rooms (such as catheterization labs, interventional imaging suites, and MRI rooms) to medication dispensers, storage cabinets, patient beds, headwalls, and more.

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The 48X Complex, exemplifies how world-class healthcare facilities can be delivered with unprecedented speed and efficiency. The project's success reflects the full team's commitment to LEAN principles, demonstrating how a culture of teamwork, trust, and rapid problem-solving can overcome complex technical and coordination challenges to deliver exceptional results for patients and healthcare providers.

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Photography by Kyle Jeffers