Designed to inspire generations of future healthcare professionals, the new Health Sciences Education Building at the University of Washington fosters interaction, collaboration, and creativity for students and the health professional community. Delivered by the design-build team of The Miller Hull Partnership, The S/L/A/M Collaborative, and Lease Crutcher Lewis, the new interprofessional education building aims to maintain the University’s outstanding performance by attracting and retaining the highest caliber of healthcare professionals.
Centrally located in the University’s robust, health sciences-focused South Campus, the facility utilizes the unique adjacencies of research, academic, and clinical programs to train future health professionals in support of affordable, accessible, and high-quality 21st-century healthcare. The new building provides a shared physical space that sparks innovation and creativity among students. Diversity of environments encourages collaboration, where students learn from each other how to be part of high-performing health delivery teams.
“Culture of Care” is a phrase that guided the design of the site, architecture, and interior experience as the team envisioned an environment that supports the health and well-being of its residents and visitors. Challenging the standard of sterile, immersive, hospital-like environments found in most university medical buildings, the building embodies the “Culture of Care” through investment in wellness and student-focused spaces. Warm, healthy materials promote a sense of connection to nature and help students feel at ease in a high-pressure atmosphere.
The design-build team implemented strategies to maximize the building’s sustainability and environmental impact, prioritizing long-term infrastructure investments and setting an example for campuses across the country. The building features emerging and impactful technologies including regional stormwater infrastructure, electrochromic glazing, and CLT structure.
Funded by two grants obtained by the design-build team—including a U.S. Forest Service Wood Innovations Grant—the inclusion of CLT in floor and roof assemblies enhances the student experience. The design brings the warmth and beauty of wood to the formal and informal learning environments while supporting regional economic growth. A hybrid structure of steel, concrete, and CLT provides significant tenant flexibility due to the open span area, supporting the collaborative and flexible spaces critical to the program. Lewis partnered with KPFF and University staff and students to develop and test the composite beam system. The hybrid testing helped permit the project and advanced the City of Seattle’s building code related to the use of CLT structures.
Using the forthcoming U.S. Mass Timber Floor Vibration Design Guide, the design-build team analyzed the vibration performance of the building’s floor system. This study adds to the growing body of research used to reduce cost and improve the reliability of CLT systems in the region, country, and world. With the inclusion of CLT, the University was able to reduce the embodied carbon impact of the structural decking system by 50% and support the ecology of the region and the state by helping to responsibly manage and protect natural resources and mitigate wildfire risks.
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