Perkins Eastman Joins George Mason University in Celebrating Groundbreaking of New Health Sciences Building
Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 22, 2015 -- Top international design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman congratulates George Mason University (GMU) on the recent groundbreaking of its new building for the College of Health and Human Services on the main campus in Fairfax, Virginia. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the 160,000 sf building will include a working health clinic accessible to the public, a kitchen where students will practice nutrition science, program classrooms for the College and general University classrooms, and labs for nursing, healthcare data, and rehabilitation studies. It is expected to open in 2017.
The five-story building will serve as a flagship for the Fairfax campus in terms of sustainability, student accommodation, community outreach, and design. It is part of the university’s ongoing plan to make Mason the premiere research university in the Washington, DC, region. As the backbone of Mason’s health sciences, the College of Health and Human Services notably educates nurses, but also economists, global and public health specialists, social workers, and those involved in healthcare policy, rehabilitation, and nutrition sciences, among other key areas. It prepares students to provide professional leadership, care, and services related to health promotion, wellness, disease prevention, and quality of life through the advancement of physical, social, and environmental health practices.
Perkins Eastman Principal Matthew Bell FAIA says, “Perkins Eastman has been privileged to continue our longstanding history with George Mason University by designing the new building for the College of Health and Human Services. In its dynamic mix of uses and in its commitment to environmental leadership and healthy living, this building will be a vibrant new destination for the campus while it will help position Mason as a regional research powerhouse.” He continues, “We are proud to have designed a building that will usher Virginia’s largest public research university into the future and that will enable groundbreaking research activities to meet the needs of the Commonwealth.”
The design for the ground-up building embodies the spirit of the College’s research and its emphasis on healthy living and well-being. Aligning with both the main campus grid and adjacent buildings, the building will define a new northern campus gateway and create a destination for the College and larger university population. The College’s commitment to healthy living and well-being is demonstrated through the building’s purposeful orientation and proportions, which were guided by sustainability and energy efficiency studies. The classrooms were designed for progressive educational standards, including interactive classrooms, the latest classroom technology, and flipped teaching. Exterior courtyards will further support the building as a campus destination and promote outdoor teaching.
Located in the North Sector of the Fairfax Campus, this building completes Perkins Eastman’s North Sector Plan, which was developed with the ultimate goal of developing a strongly defined campus entrance, variety of outdoor spaces, future building expansion, and campus connections.
About Perkins Eastman
Perkins Eastman is among the top design and architecture firms in the world. With almost 900 employees in 14 locations around the globe, Perkins Eastman practices at every scale of the built environment. From niche buildings to complex projects that enrich whole communities, the firm’s portfolio reflects a dedication to progressive and inventive design that enhances the quality of the human experience. With work in 46 states and more than 40 countries, the firm’s portfolio includes high-end residential, commercial, hotels, retail, office buildings, corporate interiors, schools, hospitals, museums, senior living, and public sector facilities. Perkins Eastman provides award-winning design through its offices in North America (New York, NY; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; San Francisco, CA; Stamford, CT; Toronto, Canada; and Washington, DC); South America (Guayaquil, Ecuador); North Africa and Middle East (Dubai, UAE); and Asia (Mumbai, India, and Shanghai, China).
About George Mason University
George Mason is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls nearly 34,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.
Renderings available.
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Melissa Urbieta, Perkins Eastman, http://www.perkinseastman.com, +1 (646) 358-8715, [email protected]
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