The Kirk Kerkorian Medical Education Building (MEB) is the flagship facility for the newly founded school of medicine and an anchor for expansion. As the first medical school in Southern Nevada, its mission is to train the next generation of healthcare providers to address a statewide shortage with a particular emphasis for the training of primary care physicians. With a diverse program that supports learning and collaboration at many scales, the new facility allows the school to double its class size from 60 to 120 students.
The MEB’s program supports collaboration at many scales, including a central, triple-height forum that energizes the building and connects to an elevated outdoor plaza. Classrooms and learning studios are distributed throughout, with the most intensive program spaces housed on the partially below-grade “superfloor”. This early planning concept was imperative to the overall design of the building and collocates the clinical skills, simulation, and virtual and traditional anatomy programs to deliver a synergistic training environment. A student services center, two-story library, lounge and fitness center encourage collaboration and wellness.