The University of Huddersfield is planning to construct the National Health Innovation Campus in Huddersfield in the United Kingdom. The transformative development will integrate teaching, research, and outpatient care facilities to optimize health outcomes in the Yorkshire and Humber region and nationwide. Designed by AHR Architects, the first phase of construction will create a new home for the Health and Wellbeing Academy.
The University of New Mexico broke ground in August of 2022 on the $43.3 million College of Nursing and Public Heath Excellence Building in Albuquerque. Designed by Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, the 93,740-gsf facility will provide sophisticated classrooms and teaching labs where the next generation of caregivers and public health professionals can engage in collaborative learning, training, and discovery.
The University of Washington and Gonzaga University opened the $60 million Health Partnership Building in Spokane in August of 2022. Located at the gateway to the Gonzaga campus, the interdisciplinary center collocates students and faculty from both institutions to create new opportunities for learning and discovery. The 90,000-sf facility offers interactive classrooms, teaching and research labs, faculty offices, a fitness hub, and a state-of-the-art anatomy suite.
Mercer University broke ground in May of 2022 on the 65,000-sf Moye Pharmacy and Health Sciences Center in Atlanta. Located on the Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus in Atlanta, the collaborative facility will feature flexible classrooms that can easily accommodate diverse pedagogies ranging from didactic instruction to active team-based learning.
St. John's University broke ground on the $106 million Health Sciences Center in New York in May of 2022. Located on the Queens campus, the 70,000-sf facility will provide state-of-the-art laboratories, active learning classrooms, and simulation suites to train the next generation of caregivers. Housing the School of Nursing and other allied health programs, the project will promote interprofessional education with flexible teaching venues where teams of students can work together.
George Mason University broke ground in May of 2022 on the $84 million Life Sciences and Engineering Building in Manassas, Va. Located on the Science and Technology Campus in Prince William County, the 133,000-gsf facility will accommodate STEM-H programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health sciences.
Central Washington University opened the $60 million Health Sciences Building in Ellensburg in April of 2022. Designed by LMN Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the 80,748-gsf facility provides sophisticated learning environments for programs in public health, emergency medicine, biomechanics, clinical physiology, exercise science, and nutrition.
Michigan Technological University will begin construction in May of 2022 on the H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex in Houghton. Designed by HED, the $45 million project will accommodate integrated educational programs in health-related fields and accelerate the creation of human-centered technological innovations.
Tarleton State University broke ground in March of 2022 on the $66 million Interprofessional Education Building in Crowley, Texas. Designed by Perkins&Will, the 102,000-sf facility will provide next-generation learning environments for the College of Health Sciences and Human Services and the College of Education. Featuring high-fidelity simulation and clinical skills suites, the project will provide teaching and research labs, collaboration spaces, classrooms, and a large multipurpose hall.
Towson University began construction in October of 2021 on the $175 million College of Health Professions in Towson, Md. Designed by Perkins&Will and JMT Architecture, the 240,000-sf facility will accommodate growing programs in nursing, health sciences, occupational therapy, occupational science, and speech-language pathology and audiology.
The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg broke ground on the $19.2 million Life Sciences Building in August of 2021. Accommodating programs in nursing, allied health, biochemistry, and natural sciences, the 32,000-sf facility will provide sophisticated simulation suites, chemistry and biology labs, a telemedicine center, a clinical training lab, a computer lab, student lounges, and administrative space.
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.
