MD Anderson Breaks Ground on HDR-designed Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Building for Personalized Cancer Care
(November 20, 2011) - The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center held a groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 16 in Houston for the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Building for Personalized Cancer Care in preparation for construction of a new HDR-designed 12-story, 615,000-square-foot building. HDR was represented by Dick Bell, chairman and chief executive officer, HDR, Inc., and Merle Bachman, HDR Architecture president, along with Monica Bell, Randy Pollock, Rand Wilson, Tom Smith, Scott Kreitlein and Sean Crane.
The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Building for Personalized Cancer Care is based on a different model from previous research buildings at MD Anderson, with two laboratory and two office wings surrounding a central collaborative core. Brian Kowalchuk, director of Design, notes that "the characteristics of space that enhance its use for interaction are essential to the facility; including abundant natural light, views to the outdoors, open atriums with wide stairs, and comfortable seating."
HDR recently completed a targeted-therapies facility, the South Campus Research Building (SCRB) Number 4 for targeted therapies, and is currently working with MD Anderson on the development of a master plan that strategically connects its healthcare campus with its research campus. In implementing this master plan based on individual buildings, MD Anderson has started to look towards connecting buildings, and most importantly people, to create opportunities for interaction and collaboration.
A statement was read from William A. Daigneau, vice president of facilities and operations management at MD Anderson, explaining that the design reflects "the newest collaborative research trends in our fight against cancer…Its design is architecturally pleasing…its layout is highly functional and flexible…It will also be extremely efficient and one of the greenest facilities on campus."
Located on the site of the former University of Texas Mental Sciences Institute, the facility is on a fast-track schedule, slated for completion in August 2014. Plans call for a two-story plinth with lab and office towers above. Two research wings are connected with a corridor along the exterior to maximize the interior laboratories' flexibility to accommodate new and evolving ethodologies and technologies. The lab wings will be connected to two adjacent office wings by a central collaboration space. The first phase includes building core and shell design, and interior build-out of approximately 120,000 gross square feet. This includes two floors of laboratories and one floor of clinical space, along with office, conference and building support spaces. Groups expected to occupy the new facility include The Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy as well as The Sheikh Ahmed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, among others.
Ronald A. DePinho, MD, president of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, noted that "by building this facility and filling it with the brightest minds, state-of-the-art equipment, and the spirit of innovation, we expect to make significant advancements in research - especially in pancreatic cancer research and personalized cancer care therapy."
HDR Architecture is responsible for the architecture and planning; engineering is by E&C, Walter P. Moore and Rogers Moore; interior design is by Courtney Harper & Associates; and Vaughn Construction is the construction manager.
