UC Davis has chosen the Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership of Portland as architect for the new Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science. The Olin Partnership will collaborate on landscape design for the complex.
ZGF was chosen from among six finalists to design the $78 million complex. As part of ZGF’s broad range of work, they have designed academic and research facilities for seven of the UC campuses, as well as Cornell University, The Johns Hopkins University, Duke University and Northwestern Univer-sity. The Olin Partnership has been involved in several wineries in the Napa Valley such as Beringer Winery and Chateau St. Jean, as well as The J. Paul Getty Center in Los Angeles, Stanford University and the American Academy in Rome.
"The selection of ZGF is a significant step forward in our effort to enhance our research, teaching and outreach in areas that are so important to the economy and health of California," said Neal Van Alfen, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "We all look forward to seeing the early drawings so we can share them with our friends and supporters," he said.
The project includes three separately funded elements for the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology and the Department of Food Science and Technology: a 129,600-square-foot academic building with research and teaching labs, a 41,000-square-foot teaching winery, and a food processing facility, teaching labs and brewery consisting of 27,000 square feet. The project is funded in part by gifts, including $25 million from Robert Mondavi and $5 million from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation.
"(We) feel a strong affinity for the importance of the mission of the Robert Mondavi Institute," said ZGF design partner Bob Frasca.
"Since the subject matter of the institute’s study comes from the earth, we intend to have a strong relationship between the various building components and outdoor interaction areas, where faculty and students can meet in productive ways. It makes for a unique fit between what we want to do as architects and the opportunity to enhance a program and an institution that already are recognized as among the top in the country," he said.
The institute will be designed to be the global innovator in university-based wine and food programs and will house the largest wine and food science academic program in the world.
Educational and research components associated with the winery, brewery and food processing plant are expected to draw many national and international visitors annually. However, the institute will serve more than students and faculty. The public will be invited to participate through numerous educational programs at the winery, brewery and food processing plant.
The institute will be located on Old Davis Road just north of Interstate 80, with groundbreaking expected in 2004.