In Phoenix, the Arizona State University (ASU) has constructed its Health Futures Center—expanding the school’s impact as a research institution emphasizing medical technology acceleration and innovation, entrepreneurship, and healthcare education.
Designed by CO Architects in collaboration with DFDG Architecture, the ASU Health Futures Center is a multidisciplinary home for medical tech innovation, research, education, and conferencing. CO designed the building to allow spaces to function in multiple ways, encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations. It’s located on a newly developed site for the university’s growing biotech presence near the Mayo Clinic Phoenix.
The Health Futures Center is the first building to be constructed as part of the almost 20-year Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Alliance for Health Care collaboration. CO master-planned the new 24-acre campus on previously undeveloped desert land, then programmed and designed the three-story facility for ASU’s College of Health Solutions, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, and Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, as well as shared programs with Mayo Clinic.
The $80 million, 145,200-square-foot building includes research laboratories, simulation suites, workspaces, and instructional rooms. The light ecru exterior was designed for the desert heat, with windows angled to face northward on both the east and west facades, minimizing solar heat gain. The center offers views of the McDowell Mountains to the east and central Phoenix to the south.
The building’s conference center features a double-height auditorium with 278 fixed seats arranged in a circular configuration, with the capacity for up to 320 in an in-the-round configuration. Audio, video, and lighting elements allow patrons to view dynamic visual presentations from wherever they’re seated.
On the building team:
Owner: Arizona State University
Design architect: CO Architects
Architect of record and executive architect: DFDG Architecture
MEP engineer: Affiliated Engineers (AEI)
Structural engineer: Advances Structural Engineering
General contractor/construction manager: DPR Construction
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 3, 2023
The University of Chicago Medicine is building its city’s first freestanding cancer center with inpatient and outpatient services
The University of Chicago Medicine (UChicago Medicine) is building Chicago’s first freestanding cancer center with inpatient and outpatient services. Aiming to bridge longstanding health disparities on Chicago’s South Side, the $815 million project will consolidate care and about 200 team members currently spread across at least five buildings. The new facility, which broke ground in September, is expected to open to patients in spring 2027.
Sponsored | | Oct 17, 2023
The Evolution of Medical Facility Security
As the healthcare system grows, securing these facilities becomes ever more challenging. Increasingly, medical providers have multiple facilities within their networks, making traditional keying systems and credentialing impractical.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 11, 2023
Leveraging land and light to enhance patient care
GBBN interior designer Kristin Greeley shares insights from the firm's latest project: a cancer center in Santa Fe, N.M.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 9, 2023
Design solutions for mental health as a secondary diagnosis
Rachel Vedder, RA, LEED AP, Senior Architect, Design Collaborative, shares two design solutions for hospitals treating behavioral health patients.
Giants 400 | Oct 5, 2023
Top 115 Healthcare Construction Firms for 2023
Turner Construction, Brasfield & Gorrie, JE Dunn Construction, DPR Construction, and McCarthy Holdings top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest healthcare sector contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue related to all healthcare buildings work, including hospitals, medical office buildings, and outpatient facilities.
Giants 400 | Oct 5, 2023
Top 90 Healthcare Engineering Firms for 2023
Jacobs, WSP, IMEG, BR+A, and Affiliated Engineers head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest healthcare sector engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue related to all healthcare buildings work, including hospitals, medical office buildings, and outpatient facilities.
Giants 400 | Oct 5, 2023
Top 175 Healthcare Architecture Firms for 2023
HDR, HKS, CannonDesign, Stantec, and SmithGroup top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest healthcare sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue related to all healthcare buildings work, including hospitals, medical office buildings, and outpatient facilities.
Adaptive Reuse | Sep 19, 2023
Transforming shopping malls into 21st century neighborhoods
As we reimagine the antiquated shopping mall, Marc Asnis, AICP, Associate, Perkins&Will, details four first steps to consider.
Healthcare Facilities | Sep 13, 2023
Florida’s first freestanding academic medical behavioral health hospital breaks ground in Tampa Bay
Construction kicked off recently on TGH Behavioral Health Hospital, Florida’s first freestanding academic medical behavioral health hospital. The joint venture partnership between Tampa General (a 1,040-bed facility) and Lifepoint Behavioral Health will provide a full range of inpatient and outpatient care in specialized units for pediatrics, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics, and fills a glaring medical need in the area.
Healthcare Facilities | Sep 8, 2023
Modern healthcare interiors: Healing and care from the outside in
CO Architects shares design tips for healthcare interiors, from front desk to patient rooms.