Florida International University Academic Health Center 5

OWNER

Florida International University

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Construction Cost
$32 million

Completion Date
September 2014

Project Size
120,000 SF

Florida International University Academic Health Center 5

Miami
Florida

Located on the Modesto Maidique Campus, the Academic Health Center 5 (AHC5) houses the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, the International Hurricane Research Center, the Extreme Events Institute, Behavioral Health Labs, and the Department of Earth and Environment from the College of Arts and Sciences. The building contains research space, including food science and behavioral labs, as well as classrooms, conference rooms and faculty offices.

This joint facility provides greater opportunities for studies of extreme events such as the impact of hurricanes and other disasters on public health. The three-building complex houses teaching labs for Public Health, faculty, research, and staff offices, as well as wet and dry research labs for all three programs in a collaborative setting.

The architectural design was developed from the study of natural events such as hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis. The complex centers around a wind sail shaped courtyard which provides day lighting on all interior spaces and enhances building and pedestrian cross circulation. Along the south facade, the floor footprints extend progressively outward providing natural shading for all but the top floor. The east exposure continues the alternating glass and precast concrete rhythm, transforming into large shading fins.