The fact that there won’t be enough doctors in North Dakota to serve the growing population brought together state legislators, city leaders, health care educators, and design and construction professionals to change the future of health care delivery. And so the Healthcare Workforce Initiative was born and the linchpin in training more practitioners, the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (UND SMHS), was built.
The building balances education, research, and service. Large outside windows and inner transom windows let natural light spill into the interior spaces. Flexibility was important so the building can move into the future with minimal modification. A grand staircase, that includes seating, accommodates the movement of large groups and lounge areas throughout the building encourage discussion and collaboration. Designing open labs and offices that are grouped together promotes inter-professional teamwork.
The largest public project in North Dakota history, UND SMHS is an interdisciplinary learning environment that readapts a health sciences curriculum and methodologies for generations to come.
