State University of New York at Syracuse
Institute for Human Performance, Rehabilitation and Biomedical Research Syracuse, NY This facility for education research and patient care is a four-story structure accommodating a 19,000 square-foot gymnasium, a 75 foot long medical research swimming pool, a full-service orthopedic treatment center and 100 state of the art flexible lab modules. The building is divided into three parallel laboratory wings joined by two skylighted atriums. Continue BackA convex entrance welcomes the public and allows light deep into the atrium at ground level, making the transition from external to internal virtually imperceptible. Laboratory wings contain research laboratories grouped into units of ten. The tenfold modular is designed for maximum efficiency and flexibility and facilitates mechanical and utility reconfigurations. At ground level, the skylighted atrium covers the main entrance/circulation space; and at second level, the public gymnasium. At third and fourth levels, laboratory facades are pierced by windows that overlook the atriums and allow natural light into research units. Views from laboratory windows across to opposite wings, below to public spaces enhance a sense of community and create a collegial atmosphere.
The design evolved from precise and extensive technical criteria and provides climate controlled spaces for multiple medical and recreational functions. Public and private domains are expressed and separated through the manipulation of natural light and by solid/void relationships.
“With remarkable professional skill and diligence of purpose, you successfully guided the Health Science Center through the complex tasks of program planning, schematics, design development and working drawings. […] Your capacity to capture our vision, assimilate the intricacies of the program, and create a unique architectural solution was remarkable. Certainly, the Institute for Human Performance, Rehabilitation and Biomedical Research represents the art and science of architecture at its best [and] positions the State University of New York and the Health Science Center at the forefront of the biomedical research and health care agenda for the nation.”
David G. Murray, M.D., Distinguished Professor and Chairman, Department of Orthopedic Surgery
