The latest phase completed at the UW School of Medicine adds a 183,000 sq ft research facility with laboratories and offices that will house more than 400 employees. The new building is designed to be both striking and to compliment the previous two phases with a similar facade facing a shared courtyard. “We designed Phases one, two, and three to enhance the vision of the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, by creating spaces that encourage productivity, collaboration and inspiration,” said Anthony Gianopoulos, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Managing Principal of Perkins+Will. “We wanted to strengthen the connectivity of UW students with the scientific community in South Lake Union and the greater Seattle area.”
On the outside, Phase 3.1 is striking with it’s undulating glass curtain wall and orange accents. The high performance facade features fritted glass to manage solar gain while allowing for daylighting. Rainwater is collected from the roof and hardscape and stored in a cistern to be used to irrigate plants in the plaza. Energy efficiency strategies inside the building include high-efficiency boilers, a heat recovery chiller, exhaust air energy recovery and improved lighting controls.
The state-of-the-art medical facility was designed to attract skilled professionals and retain them in the area. Research in the facility is dedicated to the study of Immunology, Rheumatology, Kidney Research, Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, and Vision Sciences. Perkins+Will is also working on phases 3.2 and 3.3 of the campus, which will complete the school’s facility with 900,000 sq ft of new buildings.
Images ©Ben Benschneider, Courtesy of Perkins+Will
