Ellmer College of Health Sciences, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Building

Background

Old Dominion University (ODU) desired increased space for their Schools of Dental Hygiene, Rehabilitation Science, and Medical Diagnostics and Translational Sciences. As part of these schools, the Sofia and David Konikoff Dental Hygiene Care Facility provides services to more than 1,860 patients in the community, and the original Monarch Physical Therapy Clinic provides the community with rehabilitation based on faculty expertise and research.

Challenge

This new health sciences building project addresses ODU’s need for more space by increasing the Dental Hygiene Care Facility from 30 to 36 chairs and increasing the therapy space to 11,000 square feet in the future Faschini Wallach Center for Restorative Therapies (the new name for the Monarch Physical Therapy Clinic). The project required interior spaces be welcoming and supportive of both staff and students, as well as the public. Additionally, the interior needed to be branded in ODU school colors.

Solution

As a consultant to the prime architect, Woolpert provided full interior design and FF&E services. Woolpert worked closely with all constituencies to create a well-coordinated interior solution that supports ODU's branding effort while providing finishes appropriate to the various specialty spaces within the building. Woolpert also provided the selection and specification of a full furniture, fixture, and equipment (FF&E) package for this project.

For the FF&E package, Woolpert worked closely with ODU and their procurement department to develop a specialized procurement method tailored to the specific requirements of the project. In developing the new process, the Woolpert design team leveraged their knowledge of the Navy Best Value Determination (BVD) method to create a workshop and best value review that was used to select a furniture vendor partner early in the FF&E process. Having the FF&E vendor on board early became invaluable to the project as the design team worked closely with the furniture vendor to specify exactly what the client desired for their space. Additionally, having the vendor on board as part of the design team meant they worked closely with the Woolpert designers during cost estimating and value engineering.

Outcome

The new Ellmer College of Health Sciences, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences facility is a 128,750-square-foot, three-story building housing Medical Diagnostics and Translational Sciences; Environmental Health Research Laboratories; support space; clinical teaching labs; and other teaching labs for gross anatomy, cytology, hematology, microbiology, instrumentation, clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostic, nuclear medicine, and dental materials. Included are simulation spaces for inter-professional education, dental hygiene, and physical and occupational therapy. Support spaces include the Dean’s suite, faculty and administrative offices, and student success support spaces. The building will be certified LEED Silver.

Along with supporting education, the building is a location for the community to access a variety of healthcare services including dental hygiene and physical therapy. To facilitate this use, all of the first floor and much of the second floor is open to the public. The new, larger Faschini Wallach Center for Restorative Therapies allows ODU to expand their services and provide more comprehensive rehabilitation and post-rehab services as well as include a pediatric gym and community work area.

Benefits

By using more of the branded colors on the seating fabrics, Woolpert was able to create an interior that is a clean and modern backdrop to blue and gray colors. Wood tones add warmth to the space, and a curved ceiling element on all floors draws people through the building’s long footprint.