Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences has opened a new campus spanning 88 acres, over three times larger than its previous location.
Designed by RDG Planning & Design and built by Turner Construction, the $260 million campus features technology-rich, flexible educational spaces that promote innovative teaching methods, expand research activity, and enhance clinical services. The campus includes four buildings connected with elevated pathways and totaling 382,000 sf.
The five-floor Edge of Advancement building serves as the front door to the campus and includes administration, event and learning commons, alum hall, and student support spaces. The Innovation building includes academic and dining programs, as well as a simulation center where students can practice providing care and performing surgery. And the Health and Wellbeing building offers recreation facilities, clinic, and counseling suites. The project also includes a campus support building with parking.
The new campus, which has achieved LEED Silver certification, has 700 geothermal wells for energy-efficient systems. With significantly reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions, the project achieves a 56% reduction in electric use and 65% reduction in embodied carbon.
To promote mental health and wellbeing, the campus integrates multiple green and gathering spaces. The site features a new pond and connects with local trails.
“With its 125-year legacy of excellence in medical and health science education, DMU has long been leading the way in holistic healthcare education,” Mike Houston, RDG planner and senior partner, said in a statement. “Collaborating with the university on this project allowed us to push the boundaries of what a health sciences campus can achieve.”
Founded in 1898, DMU comprises three colleges offering 10 graduate degrees in medical and health sciences.
On the building team:
Design architect and architect of record: RDG Planning & Design
MEP engineer: IMEG
Structural engineer: KPFF
Construction manager: Turner Construction
Related Stories
| Oct 4, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Gold Winner: Wake Forest Biotech Place, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Reconstruction centered on Building 91.1, a historic (1937) five-story former machine shop, with its distinctive façade of glass blocks, many of which were damaged. The Building Team repointed, relocated, or replaced 65,869 glass blocks.
| Sep 19, 2012
Modular, LEED-Gold Certified Dormitory Accommodates Appalachian State University Growth
By using modular construction, the university was able to open a dorm a full year earlier than a similar dorm built at the same time with traditional construction.
| Sep 6, 2012
CPPI awarded $30.3 million contract for University of Florida’s Harrell Medical Education Building
The specialized interdisciplinary learning environment will serve as a focal point for integration and program development for all primary care educational activities in the College of Medicine.
| Sep 5, 2012
Skanska tops out residence hall complex at the University of Delaware
Construction firm achieves structural milestone for $71 million student housing expansion project.
| Aug 30, 2012
John S Clark Co. completes teaching lab at UNC Wilmington
Three-story building provides offices, classrooms, and labs.
| Aug 7, 2012
Pioneering revival
Financial setbacks didn’t stop this Building Team from transforming the country’s first women’s medical school into a new home for college students.
| Aug 7, 2012
Shedding light on the arts
Renovating Pietro Belluschi’s Juilliard School opens the once-cloistered institution to its Upper West Side community.
| Aug 7, 2012
McCarthy tops out LEED Platinum-designed UCSD Health Sciences Biomedical Research Facility
New laboratory will enable UCSD to recruit and accommodate preeminent faculty.
| Jul 25, 2012
KBE Building renovates UConn dining hall
Construction for McMahon Dining Hall will be completed in September 2012.
| Jul 24, 2012
Military Housing firm announces expansion into student housing
The company has partnered with the military to build, renovate and manage nearly 21,000 homes with more than 65,000 bedrooms, situated on more than 10,000 acres of land nationwide.
