Edwards Lifesciences – Mussallem Innovation Center

Life science campus uses mass timber to create a welcoming “front porch.”

The latest phase of Edwards Lifesciences’ Irvine, California, campus features a three-story mass-timber “front porch” that creates an iconic campus presence while recalling the Oregon family cabin where the company was founded. The sustainably harvested, exposed cross-laminated timber and glulam structure, designed by LPA Design Studios, cuts the building’s embodied carbon toll while carrying forward the company’s long-running commitment to sustainability. The first mass timber building in Irvine, the project involved close collaboration with the city and innovative fire-resistance strategies.

The building, to be dedicated as the Mussallem Innovation Center, celebrates the medical technology company’s culture of collaboration and innovation. Inside and out, the 118,600 square-foot building is designed to create community and facilitate creativity. Entering through a pine-tree lined pedestrian promenade, visitors are welcomed into a double-height entry lobby. Bridges and exterior decks integrate the building seamlessly into the campus, promoting outdoor connections and encouraging engagement. Open glazing and timber framing create visual and physical connections to the campus, enhancing the sense of belonging and community engagement.

The LEED Gold-targeted project is designed around environmental performance and well-being. Launched with a whole building life cycle analysis, the building is designed for a 100-year lifespan and disassembly. Concrete in the floors, foundation and tilt-up panels uses fly ash and Portland limestone cement to cut embodied carbon by 15% compared with the industry average, resulting in an 8% overall reduction in structural embodied carbon. Low-impact development strategies, onsite stormwater management and drought tolerant landscaping are designed to reduce water for irrigation by 73%. A high-performance envelope, efficient HVAC systems and optimized daylight and shading maximize the building’s energy efficiency, with photovoltaics installed on the rooftop reducing the need for fossil fuels.