Allied Health

Faculty in higher education often spend less than 20 percent of their workday at their assigned desks, so why do they still have them? It is a question that academic administrators are asking, as they look for ways to provide building occupants with the spaces they need to do their work and the autonomy to select the right space for the right task, all within an increasingly constrained campus footprint. Corporate offices have been making the transition to unassigned seating for years now, and despite trepidation, there are signs that academia may be following suit: In a recent survey of 88 U.S. colleges and universities (conducted by the Society for College and University Planning and brightspot, a Buro Happold company), about 62 percent of respondents said they are pursuing more flexible or unassigned workspaces for administrative staff, and 54 percent are planning to do so for academic work facilities, as well.

The University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College broke ground in July of 2021 on a $57 million shared facility in Herriman. The 90,000-sf structure will accommodate associate and bachelor’s degree programs in high-demand fields such as computer science, engineering, business administration, criminal justice, nursing, social work, and teaching. The structure will also incorporate student services centers for both institutions including admissions, financial aid, advising, tutoring, and transfer support.

Miami University is constructing a $96 million health sciences building in Oxford, Ohio. Designed by BSA Lifestructures, the 165,000-gsf facility will create dynamic synergies between programs in nursing and allied health professions. The north wing of the three-story structure will offer classrooms, teaching labs, a fitness studio, and a wellness center. The middle wing will house research labs, faculty and staff offices, interprofessional lounges, eight simulation suites,  a wet/dry training lab, two 20-bed skills labs, and a gross anatomy lab.

Lord Fairfax Community College is constructing the $30 million Hazel Hall in Warrenton, Va. Designed by Grimm + Parker, the 40,000-sf facility will provide multifunctional learning environments for programs in science, engineering, and health professions. The two-story structure will include a nursing skills lab, simulation suites, science labs, engineering and fabrication labs, classrooms, study areas, faculty offices, and a flexible 275-seat conference venue. Existing classrooms and labs in Wolk Hall will also be renovated.

Hofstra University broke ground in June of 2021 on the $75 million Science and Innovation Center in Hempstead, N.Y. Designed by HLW, the 75,000-sf facility will feature technology-rich labs and classrooms for the DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science. The project will also provide the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies with advanced learning environments for interprofessional education including state-of-the-art simulation suites and clinical teaching labs.

Stetson University broke ground in June of 2021 on the Cici & Hyatt Brown Hall for Health & Innovation in DeLand, Fla. Designed by Kahler Slater in association with Harvard Jolly Architecture, the 40,000-sf facility will offer flexible and transparent classrooms for active learning, teaching labs for health and environmental sciences, a GIS computer lab, and a Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) lab.

The University of British Columbia is planning to construct the CAD$180 million Gateway Building on the Point Grey campus in Vancouver. Designed by Perkins&Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen, the 269,000-sf project will offer sophisticated facilities for interprofessional education and research including wet and dry laboratories, high-fidelity simulation suites, flexible classrooms, and four large lecture halls.

The University of Texas at Arlington is constructing a $76 million health sciences facility for the School of Social Work. Featuring flexible, technology-enabled learning environments, the 150,000-sf building will include teaching and research labs, study areas, and offices for faculty and staff. Designed by SmithGroup to enable an innovative pedagogy that enhances collaboration between allied health disciplines, the structure will also house the Smart Hospital, a clinical simulation center for the College of Nursing and Health Innovations.

Creighton University is planning to break ground in summer of 2021 on the $75 million CL Werner Center for Health Sciences Education in Omaha. Providing a new home for the School of Medicine, the five-story, 130,000-sf facility will enable students enrolled in allied health programs including nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistance, and behavioral health to learn and train with medical students in the delivery team-based care.

The University of British Columbia is planning to construct the CAD$136 million School of Biomedical Engineering Building on the Point Grey campus in Vancouver. The 151,305-gsf facility will accommodate teaching and research labs, collaboration spaces, meeting rooms, and offices. Featuring innovative learning venues for undergraduate and graduate programs, the building will provide classrooms, a 250-seat lecture hall, and a central atrium for informal learning and interaction.

The University of California, Irvine began construction on a $134 million health sciences complex in October of 2020. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative and HED, the project will enhance synergies between the disciplines of medicine, nursing, population health, and pharmacy to deliver a dynamic pedagogy of team-based care. Supporting an innovative curriculum based on integrative health, the complex is expected to be a national model for the future of interprofessional education.

Florida Institute of Technology broke ground in October of 2020 on the $18 million Health Sciences Research Center in Melbourne, Fla. Enabling the university to expand its biomedical engineering and premedical programs, the 61,000-sf facility will feature a sophisticated anatomy lab with virtual dissection tables, an imaging suite with florescent and laser scanning microscopes, and labs for orthopedic research, tissue engineering, and computer modeling and simulation.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center dedicated the Dr. Edwin G. & Dorothy Balbach Davis Global Center in October of 2020 in Omaha. Serving as the headquarters for the Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning (iEXCEL), the $122 million facility provides advanced simulation environments where students can master clinical skills in real-world settings.

Nottingham Trent University broke ground in October of 2020 on a £15 million facility for the Institute of Health & Allied Professions in Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Located on the Clifton campus, the 34,000-sf building will provide simulation training environments such as mock hospital wards, emergency rooms, consultation suites, and home care settings. High-fidelity manikins will enable students to practice clinical skills in real-world settings.

The University of Washington and Gonzaga University broke ground in September of 2020 on a $60 million medical education hub in Spokane. Supporting the Regional Health Partnership initiative, the 90,000-sf facility will offer classrooms, interactive learning environments, research labs, an anatomy suite, and administrative offices. McKinstry, the developer of the public-private project, will own and manage the building, which will provide leased space for the UW School of Medicine and Gonzaga's programs in human physiology and nursing.