And the Common Ground Award (hopefully!) goes to...

This week has been very interesting because I had an opportunity to write a nomination for the Marana Health Center to get a Common Ground Award in Architecture and Design. For someone that did not know a lot about the health center's background, architecture, or partnerships behind its creation, I had to do some digging. I felt very much like a news reporter! Here is what I learned during this process:

On May 21, 2011, Marana Health Center began its exciting transition into a new state-of-the-art facility on Marana Main Street across from the Marana Municipal Complex. At 74,656 square feet and 71 feet tall, the building will be the tallest in Marana’s gradually developing downtown area and houses four clinics; pediatrics, family practice, internal medicine and women’s health. As part of a network of clinics focused on providing affordable care to low-income and medically underserved communities, this Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified health center is a source of high-quality care and architectural innovation.

The objective behind the Marana Health Center architectural design is to create a feeling of community for all who walk through its halls. A light shines at the highest point of the building every hour of the day as a “beacon in the sky” to draw travelers to its doors. The wings (a common feature in medical buildings) are designed to create fluid movement throughout the facility so patients can move from the waiting room to the examination room and then to the main rotunda without backtracking to a previous location. Picture windows face the Catalina Mountains and the rising sun, while elevators block the sunset so the central area remains temperature regulated. Large windows flank the hallways, allowing natural light to shine and thereby reducing energy use.

Most noticeable is the preservation of Marana’s Hohokam heritage, as evidenced by the carving on the railings and its extension into the rich earth tone colors on the walls. The terrazzo floor is speckled with turquoise stone, a reference to Marana’s native jewelry production. The free-flowing movement of the hallways is also reminiscent to Hohokam art, which is commonly identified by drawings of circles, squiggly lines, and swirls.

Marana Health Center’s Gold LEED certification boasts several key architectural designs relevant to energy conservation. Benefits include reduced energy use, lower operating costs, and improved occupant productivity. Building designs accommodate the control of soil erosion, waterway sedimentation, and airborne dust generation, as well as increase water efficiency within the building to reduce the burden on the water supply and wastewater systems. The design of the building also prevents the exposure of the building’s interior and ventilation systems to tobacco smoke in order to establish high-quality indoor air for the comfort of its occupants.

As you can see, the Marana Health Center has a pretty amazing facility, and everyone is very excited about it. :) Big thanks to Mary Carter for taking me on a tour of the center and providing me with a ton of information, as well as DJ Holm of Johnson Carlier, Marana Health Center CEO Clarence Vatne,  and Bene Harrison.

Here are some more photos:
 

Main stairway with Hohokom influenced railings

 

The terrazo with turquois flecks



Hohokom influences in the upstairs lobby



Trellises at the front entrance