University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSWMC) has selected Omniplan to provide architectural and engineering services for the fifth phase of its research Campus in Dallas. The North Campus, part of UTSWMC's 60-acre school, is divided in half by a landscaped channel that runs from east to west through the site. Phases 1-4, including two designed by Omniplan, are situated on the south side of the canal. As the first building on the north side of the waterway, Phase 5 will set the organizational pattern and architectural language of the remaining six phases of the masterplan. The design of the 12-story, 379,950-square-foot building will be divided into two separate efforts. First, the building shell and core will be designed around a general laboratory layout; second, the laboratories will be designed in response to the specific requirements of the principal investigators whose research efforts they will serve. This approach allows the design to move forward before the final users are identified. In addition, the nonspecific lab layout provides the flexibility to respond easily to changing users and programs.
The lab floors as well as the vertical circulation that connects them are organized to promote spontaneous collaboration and interaction between scientists. Each typical lab floor can accommodate up to eight principal investigators and their staff. While some floors may initially house administrative and classroom areas, the modular design of the building and systems will allow for easy conversion into laboratory space. Additional consultants include: John M. Y. Lee, consulting architect and planner; Shah Smith Associates, MEP engineer; Datum Gojer, structural engineer; Halff Associates, civil engineer; Earl Walls, laboratory planner; and The Office of Christopher Miller, landscape architect.
