The design of the School of Nursing creates a dynamic identity on a beautifully wooded two-acre site that slopes gently from east to west. Using the architectural vocabulary established in the existing building, the addition seamlessly integrates with the original building. The glass-enclosed common space was extended and includes a fireplace accent wall. It consolidates the school’s programs into one location and provides a stronger link to the Duke University Medical School Clinic and Medical Center.
Connected to the School of Nursing, Ayers Saint Gross designed the Duke Health Interprofessional Education Center. The new facility brings together three different programs within the medical center—Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy, School of Nursing, and the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. The unique design process for the building included a search for similarities in teaching styles and needs between programs, resulting in flexible spaces that work across disciplines. The building contains active learning classrooms, collaborative tiered lecture halls, skills labs, a standardized patient suite, an interprofessional education lab, and research. Common spaces for students to gather, collaborate, and study are designed to nurture learning, build community, and encourage interprofessional dialogue.
Learn more about the holistic transformation of interprofessional health sciences education in the Duke University School of Nursing book.
