Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

Sitting just a little over a mile from the San Andreas Fault, the Mills-Peninsula Medical Center was built with seismic movement in mind. Built after California’s Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act was established, strict seismic design was required to ensure the building could withstand up to an 8.0 earthquake and review from the Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development (OSHPD).

As part of our Design Assist & Furnish program, we worked directly with the architect to provide guidance from beginning to end. Full-scale working mock-ups, condition-specific drawings, an independent third-party review, and furnished deliverables were all part of the plan. Part of our design included three types of Seismic Moats: concrete-filled, flush plate, and articulating grate. The moats provide support for the base isolation system and allow for inside, outside, and diagonally oriented changes in all direction.

Our seismic solution also included seven Seismic Egress Portals (SEP) to ensure proper egress in a seismic event. With a 26-foot portal gap, our SEPs work with the base-isolation system to provide building movement in all directions without injury to hospital staff and guests. The portals help ensure building integrity and returns to its nominal position after the event.