Slated for completion in May 2010, the nearly 50,000 sf facility will become the centerpiece of the college’s School of Health and Sciences, which offers programs in nursing, respiratory therapy, dental health and assisting, emergency training and biology. The building will also house a dental clinic operated by La Familia Medical Center to provide dental health services to families and individuals in need. The clinic will also serve as a clinical training site for SFCC students.
The building expands laboratory space for SFCC’s health and sciences programs by offering three new nursing labs, two biology labs, one dental lab and a static lab for Emergency Medical Services Institute training. The facility will also feature simulations labs, complete with human patient simulators and a central control viewing room. The signature courtyard design of the college’s main building translates to the Health and Sciences Building, which features its own courtyard where students can study, eat lunch or take a break between classes.
The building will be constructed under high efficiency standards and aims to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standard. It will feature a “living wall,” a 20-foot-high and 17-foot-wide plant wall biofilter that improves indoor air quality and improves energy efficiency. The building was designed by Studio Southwest Architects in a joint venture with Diamond + Schmitt Architects of Toronto.