Wichita State University has released early renderings for the planned Biomedical Campus downtown.
The renderings were created by Helix Architecture + Design and CO Architects for the project being developed by WSU and the University of Kansas. The concepts show an eight-story, 350,000-square-foot building that features a three-story pavilion, classrooms, labs, student success center, lounges and study spaces, offices and meeting spaces.
This marks the first phase of the joint health sciences project between Wichita State University and the University of Kansas. When its completed, the Wichita Biomedical Campus will combine WSU’s College of Health Professions and Speech-Language Hearing Clinic, WSU Tech’s health care program and the Wichita campuses of the KU School of Medicine and the KU School of Pharmacy into one location.
There will be shared spaces for advanced laboratories, technology and simulation rooms for hands-on training. The main entry point is a two-story lobby. Natural light is used throughout the building to enhance the learning and working environment. Outdoor terraces and social stairs are prominent features for people to use as gathering spaces.
Wichita State and WSU Tech will share the first four stories of the eight-story tower. The fifth story is a shared simulation floor. KU will use the top three stories for its classrooms, work spaces and offices.
The three-story section along William Street will hold three 80-person classrooms that convert into an event space on the first floor with main entry on Topeka. The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic is on the third floor with a separate street entrance.
This initial phase of the project will be where a parking lot is located at the southeast corner of Broadway and William. Future phases will be located at 214 S. Topeka, where the Wichita Transit Center, set to move to Delano, is currently located.
Construction is set to begin in spring 2024 and expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
Initially, about 3,000 students and 200 faculty and staff will be housed at the center, with opportunities for growth in existing and new programs.
WSU President Rick Muma said in a press release, “This biomedical center is going to revolutionize the way we educate health care professionals. With advanced technologies, like AI simulations and state-of-the-art labs, students from Wichita State, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas will learn, research and grow into their professions in a way that makes them more adept caregivers and innovators in the ever-evolving field of health care.”
