The Millennial Initiative at Western Carolina University is a public-private partnership on a new, 344 acre campus created to enhance educational opportunities for students, develop cutting edge research capabilities for faculty, and promote economic development in Western North Carolina. The Millennial Campus will include academic buildings, research facilities, business and industry offices, and housing.
Clark Nexsen provided site master planning and building design for the first project at the Millennial Campus, a new home for the College of Health & Human Sciences that houses the Nursing, Health Sciences, Physical Therapy, Social Work, and Communication Sciences and Disorders departments.
The building contains classrooms, research and teaching labs, offices, gathering spaces, and a coffee shop. A multi-disciplinary clinic provides specialized health and rehabilitation services and a rehabilitation pool for students to learn and practice aquatic therapy. The building features extensive videoconferencing, telemedicine capabilities, and a video production studio. Faculty members are able to view live video feeds of interaction between patients and students. Health and Human Sciences also operates a clinic, open to the community, where students work with patients under faculty supervision.
Coordinating common spaces (including distance learning classrooms) maximized construction dollars and created interdisciplinary synergies among the departments. Offices are woven throughout the building to enhance cross pollination of ideas. The building includes student gathering space for individual and group study, and large meeting and multi-purpose areas.
The facility is certified LEED Gold with sustainable strategies that include day lighting, stormwater retention and treatment, a 20,000 square foot roof garden, enhanced insulation, and proper solar orientation.
Awards
AIA South Atlantic Region Merit Award for New Construction, 2016
AIA Asheville Honor Award, 2016
Rethinking the Future International Sustainability Award – Third Place, Institutional Built, 2014
American School & University Educational Interiors Showcase Outstanding Design, 2014
Virginia Society AIA Honor Award, 2013
AIA North Carolina Merit Award, 2013
AIA Asheville Honor Award – Unbuilt, 2008
