A modern education space that is inclusive, safe, flexible, and environmentally conscious will be unveiled today as the new home of the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Austin.
Since the School of Public Health founded its Austin location in 2007, it has specialized in improving the health of children and families. Now located at 1836 San Jacinto Blvd., the $20.4 million buildout of 64,959 square feet includes flexible meeting spaces, classrooms, simulation labs, research facilities, and a teaching kitchen.
“We are fortunate to have this beautiful new space,” said Deanna Hoelscher, PhD, RD, regional dean of the School of Public Health in Austin, John P. McGovern Professor in Health Promotion, and director of the Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at UTHealth Houston. “It will provide us with additional facilities that we can use to expand our current research portfolio.”
The Office of Facilities, Planning, Engineering, and Auxiliary Enterprises at UTHealth Houston worked with DPR Construction and Perkins&Will to create the new space.
The project uses environmentally conscious materials: 70% of the carpet used is carbon neutral, ceilings were made with Forest Stewardship Council certification wood, and natural daylight streams in through floor-to-ceiling windows to minimize artificial lighting. Each room was meticulously designed for learning, using various colors and textures to promote a visually engaging learning environment, which reflects the ever-changing and collaborative nature of work conducted by the School of Public Health.
“We wanted to develop a space where people wanted to come, so we made this space as welcoming and as comfortable an environment as we could, and we think that we’ve achieved that,” Hoelscher said.
The first floor offers a large open room to host internal gatherings for students and employees, creating an environment for collaboration. It has 13 classrooms for in-person lectures, 67 office spaces, a clinical exam room, and a teaching kitchen, where students and community members can practice healthy food preparation while gaining hands-on experience. Designated study areas will give students quiet spaces, while project planning rooms can be used for team meetings.
The building is located along public transit lines and equipped with front-access bike lanes, making it easily accessible for students and faculty. The top floor opens up to an outdoor space, where faculty and students can get a breath of fresh air.
“The new building allows us to reach out and do the type of work that we do best – promoting health in the Austin and Central Texas community,” Hoelscher said. “We appreciate the support of UTHealth Houston in expanding public health education and research in this area.”
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