Nursing and Allied Health Building | Mountain View College

Construction Cost : $14.4 M | SF : 35,000 The Mountain View College CNAH facility is designed to house Nursing Skills, Nursing Simulation, Surg Tech and other Allied Health Associate Degrees of instruction. Located in one of the most picturesque parts of south Dallas, the Mountain View campus setting of mature trees and water reservoirs was an amazing context to design within. RSA’s design embraced the natural setting by utilizing the building as an enhanced backdrop to the natural landscape. Large glazed areas reflect the existing water feature with an outdoor deck where student life and collaboration can take place. The voluminous light filled two story atrium with student lounge space on the ground floor continues through a double height glazed wall overlooking the campus lake and forested setting. Glazed Nursing Skills and Simulation Labs abut the atrium advertising the purpose and instructional character of the 2-year college’s Nursing and Allied Health programs to other health professions students, visitors, recruiting tours and hard to find faculty. As “Contextualism” is one of RSA’s four design tenets, the building design updates the campus white palette materiality through introduction of new modern exterior products such as white terra cotta and aluminum composite metal panels conveying the College’s commitment to cutting edge pedagogy as well as the built environment. A terraced sky lit pagoda style roof over the atrium, similar to one in the existing Student Center, infuses soft ambient light into the central societal core of the building reflecting an iconic architectural element of the campus fabric. Intimate student lounge spaces on the second floor overlook the atrium lobby below with the campus lake vista in the background. Heavily trafficked Nursing labs and classrooms are located on the first floor with faculty offices on the second affording better views and fewer interruptions. To reduce energy usage, faculty windows on the west façade are angled south lending a “shark fin” appearance and unique character to the building. The new College of Nursing and Allied Health Building is the linchpin project of a large campus revitalization and master plan. Its presence will set the tone for the future of pedagogy and architectural character of the Mountain View Campus.