Creating an inspirational learning experience for allied health students

Elgin Community College
Health & Life Sciences Building

Elgin, Illinois

Elgin Community College’s leadership understood that, in order to prepare exceptional professionals, they needed to provide excellent training in an inspirational setting. Kahler Slater led the programming and design for their new state-of-the-art Health and Life Sciences Building. The goal was to create an educational center to address the shortage of allied health professionals in a facility which would offer real-world, hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for students in nursing, radiology, dental assistance, histology, surg. tech., massage and physical therapies, as well as classrooms for the core academic coursework. Kahler Slater served as design architect and teamed with Kluber Architects + Engineers who served as architect and engineer of record. Together, our team provided an award-winning solution.

The resulting design offers a center for community, inspiration and enduring friendships among students, alumni, instructors and professors, and local employers who draw from Elgin Community College's graduates for decades to come. The program includes laboratories, simulation, classroom, PT/OT and student collaboration spaces. The Health and Life Sciences Building gathers students from all allied health career studies in one facility – and fosters relationships that will last a lifetime. The building's open, glass-clad design offers a striking gateway to the college – one that literally serves as a landmark for the community. Designed to be transparent in almost every way, the Health and Life Sciences Building celebrates the future of health care in Elgin and the future of well-trained health care providers for the community.

Powerful Results

99% Pass Rate

on Illinois State Licensing Exams

Honor Award

American Institute of Architects – Wisconsin Chapter, 2014

LEED

Silver Certified

To properly prepare future health care providers, training areas were designed with hospital and clinic finishes and equipment.
“The design has literally transformed the health sciences program and the college itself. The project has been featured nationally as an example of how community colleges are raising the bar for health science education.”

Wendy Miller, EdD, Dean of Health Professions

To achieve the client’s goal of creating a campus landmark, the building features an open, glass-clad design which offers a striking gateway to the college for the community and serves as a new entrance for the campus.
Thoughtful planning ensured that both public and intimate spaces were provided for students.

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