An all-precast/prestressed-concrete system proved idea I for constructing both the Medical Education Building and the Biomedical Sciences Building for the University of Hawai’i’s John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu, Hawaii. Built with loadbearing, architectural precast concrete window-box panels, these components along the perimeter of the building provide the primary lateral and vertical load-resisting system to with-stand gravity, wind, and seismic loads. The panels also serve as the main architectural facade, featuring several attractive Hawaiian nature motifs. The internal precast concrete frame, comprising double tees, inverted tees, and columns, furnishes large, unobstructed, column-free spaces and flexibility for future changes inside the buildings. The precast concrete double tees were designed to the stringent vibration criteria of the research laboratories. This article presents design features and production and construction highlights of the two new buildings at the Kaka’ako campus of the University of Hawai'i’s School of Medicine.
