Boka Powell Designing Texas A&M Health Science Facility

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(BRYAN TX) -- BOKA Powell LLC announced the company is the architect of record for a 130,000-square-foot, six-tenant clinical building on the Texas A&M Health Science Center Bryan campus. The $26 million project, being developed by Skanska HealthRealty, broke ground earlier this year and is expected to be ready for occupancy in time for fall classes in August 2011.

The unique plan will combine the Texas Brain and Spine Institute, academic units of the Texas A&M Health Science Center and the Blinn College allied health programs - including emergency medical services, nursing, physical therapy, radiology, surgical technology and respiratory therapy - within a simulated hospital. Also, St. Joseph Health System will operate a new imaging center with the region's only 3T MRI available to the public, and the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center will provide cancer treatment and research.

The building is designed to maximize collaboration between students and medical professionals. In order to maintain separation between the clinical and student populations, the center will have two distinct lobbies, private entrances and elevators. An ambulance simulator will be located on the second floor for training of emergency medical technicians.

"We are building a realistic facility that incorporates a very sophisticated simulation lab," said BOKA Powell health care principal Tom Dwyer. "Bioscience students will learn from highly technical manikins serving as patients, with real-life situations directed from a control room. "I am unaware of a model in Texas involving collaborative efforts among major educators like these."

The new facility will serve 540 students and ensure Blinn College meets new requirements that Texas schools double their enrollment of nurses in the next five years.

BOKA Powell is the project's architect of record and design architect and is providing strategic planning services. Skanska HealthRealty selected BOKA Powell for this project and is providing design build services and construction management and complete financing for the project.

BOKA Powell is a full-service architecture, planning and interior design firm, with Texas offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin, dedicated to the creation of compelling, flexible, and cost effective design solutions that directly respond to the needs of clients.

 

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