Dean Tina Whalen, EdD, DPT, MPA, PT never thought she'd witness UC's College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS) experience a major transformational building project during her professional career. A faculty member at UC since 1990 and Dean of CAHS since 2015, Whalen's longtime dream came true last spring, when construction on a brand new four-story, 110,000-square-foot Health Sciences Building was complete. The $55 million project has since garnered national recognition, with the building earning Gold LEED Certification as well as the 2020 Design Excellence Award from the American Institute of Architects Chicago.
Eco-friendly design elements that helped the building achieve Gold LEED status include large windows and skylights that utilize natural sunlight to reduce lighting costs and improve the health and productivity of faculty and students. A 1.5-acre greenspace named Eden Commons also allows occupants to enjoy fresh air and nature in an urban environment.
Atrium of Health Sciences Building
These awards "demonstrate the university's continued commitment to sustainability in the built environment," says UC's Interim Director of Renovations Dale Magoteaux, PE, who helped oversee the project.
After outgrowing its previous 76,000-square-foot space, CAHS, which is home to 32 different academic programs, was put on the university's list of buildings to receive a capital improvement about 10 years ago, Whalen says. In 2014, with Gold LEED Certification in mind, the university tapped Chicago-based Perkins + Will as the Design Architect and Columbus-based Moody Nolan as the Architect of Record.
