OMAHA—Creighton University has opened its new CL and Rachel Werner Center for Health Sciences Education, named in honor of major donors to the university. As designed by RDG Planning & Design, the new health sciences education center will focus on interprofessional education for the 21st century.

The 145,000-square-foot space is the new home for Creighton’s School of Medicine, which is anticipated to serve nearly 6,000 students each year. RDG’s design emphasizes collaborative focus between health professionals and EMS technicians to work and learn from one another in a single space.  The space also features an interdisciplinary simulation center and group classrooms to serve both synchronous and asynchronous distance learning in addition to in-person instruction.

“The CL and Rachel Werner Center is a beacon of the growth and progress of Creighton’s health sciences enterprise, which teaches a different kind of care—one that is holistic, empathetic and rooted in our Jesuit values,” Creighton President the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, Ph.D., said of the new building.  “This facility will grow and deepen the connections we are already making with the patients and communities our health sciences alumni serve.”

The Werner Center is the third collaboration between Creighton University and RDG on the heels of work at the School of Dentistry as well as Creighton’s Health Sciences Campus, located in Phoenix.

“Creighton’s continuous investment in the expansion of its medical education facilities and programs positions the university as an unmatched leader in health sciences education,” said RDG Partner and Architect Brian Halsey.  “By designing spaces that support the development of practice-ready healthcare professionals, we’re able to support Creighton’s mission of public health and well-being, both locally and nationally.”

The Werner Center broke ground in early 2021.

RDG operates from offices in Colorado, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.

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DES MOINES, Iowa—After more than a century of sharing various facilities, Des Moines Public Schools and Drake University will be adding a new sports stadium to their collective profile. The 4,000-seat stadium will be home to the high school’s football program as well as Drake’s men’s and women’s NCAA Division I soccer teams.

At a recent groundbreaking, representatives from the two schools turned over ceremonial shovelfuls of dirt for the DMPS Community Stadium at Drake University. The stadium has been designed by RDG Planning & Design, which has an office in Des Moines, and the construction will be overseen by Story Construction of Ames, Iowa.

In addition to football and soccer, the DMPS Community Stadium will be utilized for marching band practice, rugby games and various other activities. The stadium, first proposed in November 2019, is just one part of a district-wide improvement plan for athletic facilities at all five of the high schools under its purview.

The site is now being prepped for the stadium, the structure for which is scheduled to commence next spring. RDG meantime has released renderings of how it imagines the facility will look when it comes online for the fall of 2023.

Des Moines Public Schools will contribute an estimated $16 million, with other funds coming from sales tax revenue that has been allocated for infrastructure improvements. Drake, which donated land for the stadium to the high school district, is currently undertaking a capital funding campaign to cover the remainder of the construction costs. Drake will take over as administrators of the stadium once it is complete.

“This is an exciting time for Des Moines Public Schools and Drake University to begin a new era in Des Moines athletics,” DMPS Board Chair Dwana Bradley said at the groundbreaking. “While we work on improving athletic facilities at all of our high schools, we are also creating something for our students and families to be proud of right here in the heart of our city—a first-class athletic experience equal to that in any school district in the state.”

Matt Coen, senior partner for RDG, remarked that one of the major challenges of this project was working within the constraints of an urban site that had been previously developed.

“For instance, the site required the vacation and conveyance of a city street and alley, and even with the removal of these vehicular routes, the site is extremely tight in all dimensions,” Coen said. “Though challenging, this attribute also offered a tremendous opportunity to create a vibrant, energized environment both inside and outside of the stadium.”

In addition to its architectural offices in the Hawkeye State, RDG also operates from locations in Colorado, Missouri and Nebraska.

Des Moines Public Schools is the largest PK-12 system in Iowa, operating more than 60 schools in the district. Drake University has an enrollment of 3,000 undergraduates and nearly 2,000 graduate students as well.

“This is a win for DMPS and Drake University student-athletes,” Superintendent Dr. Thomas Ahart said at the groundbreaking. “It’s a place where all DMPS student-athletes can experience the same opportunities already afforded to more affluent school districts.”

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BOZEMAN, Mont.—Montana State University has broken ground on its new $78 million Student Wellness Center, designed by RDG Planning & Design in collaboration with Missoula-based MMW Architects. The venue replaces facilities that were damaged or destroyed following record snowfall in 2019, which resulted in a roof collapse of two gymnasia in the university’s fitness center.

Located on the south side of MSU’s campus in Bozeman, Montana, the new Student Wellness Center and its surrounding site create a best-of-class wellness center, encompassing allied departments from across the campus. The new building serves as a transformational space to support the mental and physical well-being of students and serves as the heart of student life on MSU’s south side.

“Crucial to student success, the wellness center will create a one-stop-shop for MSU students to find health, recreation, academic and athletic resources. This multi-functionality eliminates barriers to use, supports programming and promotes access for each student’s unique campus journey,” said RDG Architect Tom Ohle, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP.

Encompassing 150,000 square feet of new construction, the wellness center houses gymnasia and fitness spaces, outdoor programs, climbing and bouldering walls, a hybrid pool and remodeled group exercise, locker rooms and offices. University Health Partners, which provides medical, dental, counseling and health advancement services will be co-located in the facility, along with offices and labs for the Health and Human Development Department. The center is scheduled to be completed in 2023.

RDG Planning & Design is a multidisciplinary firm offering professional services in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, lighting design, strategic planning, urban and comprehensive planning and design, graphic design, engineering and integrated and public art.

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DES MOINES, Iowa—Des Moines University held a public groundbreaking event on September 10 to commemorate the start of construction of its new campus on 88 acres in West Des Moines. The official address is 8025 Grand Avenue.

In a public gathering at the new property, University President and Chief Executive Officer Angela L. Walker Franklin, Ph.D., presided over a ceremony recognizing the beginning of construction on the site. She unveiled detailed renderings of the new campus buildings and grounds.

RDG Planning & Design is the design firm; Turner Construction is the general contractor; and Formation Group is the University’s representative.

Throughout the extensive planning activity, DMU has remained committed to an ambitious timeline that has the University scheduled to occupy the new campus in 2023—that year also marks the 125th anniversary of Des Moines University.

The University made several fascinating discoveries when researching the history of the land that revealed interesting facts about it.

Much of the land, for example, is flat—but gives rise to a hill in the north section. That hillside is what is known to geologists as the “edge of advancement” of what was the Wisconsin Glacier. More than 10,000 years ago it moved south across North America shaping the land as it inched forward.  Specifically, this parcel of land is the product of the Des Moines Lobe of the glacier. It came to rest at the center of this property and created the definition of the hill over the flat expanse of land.

Beyond the land itself, this opportunity to build a new campus is spurring members of the DMU community to think differently, to explore new ways to enhance our curriculum, explore new teaching methods, and expand research activity and clinical services. School officials see this moment of advancement as a rare chance to be innovative, to grow, and to forge new partnerships that will benefit students, faculty, staff and the community.

Founded in 1898, Des Moines University is the only private medical school in Iowa; it offers graduate-level professional degree programs in osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, health care administration, anatomy, biomedical sciences and public health.

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TROY, Ala.—A dedication ceremony was recently held to celebrate the opening of Troy University’s new Trojan Fitness Center.

The 78,000-square-foot center, which officially opened its doors in January, includes a multi-activity court, a basketball court, free and circuit weight training areas, aerobic exercise rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, a multi-level walking track and four offices.

This $25 million project is a result of a student-led initiative, the center was recommended by Troy University’s Student Government Association and funded through student recreation fees.

RDG Planning & Design’s design, which was completed in partnership with Seay, Seay & Litchfield Architects (Architect-of-Record) was successful in realizing the the students’ vision to create a space supportive of creating healthy, lifelong habits. Whaley Construction Co. Inc. was the general contractor.

“The Trojan Fitness Center creates a home for the university’s Student Wellness Program and serves as a place where students can come together in wellness,” said RDG Principal and Architect Jack Patton, AIA, LEED AP.

“RDG designed the building to blend into Troy’s rich architectural fabric. It embodies the same southern hospitality we came to enjoy while helping Troy envision and create this important facility.”

Located on the corner of George Wallace Drive and University Avenue, the Trojan Fitness Center is one of the first buildings visitors encounter as they enter the campus. Designed to accommodate the fitness and recreational needs of both the students and the larger campus community, the multi-story facility offers vibrant and engaging spaces with strong indoor/outdoor connections.

An open rotunda on the northwest side offers visibility into all three levels of the facility, while a grand staircase serves as a striking visual element within the facility’s highly efficient layout design.

The design incorporates banners, dimensional art, window graphics, wall graphics and signage to create an experience that embraces the entire student body and highlights the nationalities of students who attend the university.

Photographic elements depict the Troy student’s journey—from their first day to graduation day—to the possibilities of professional life. Whimsical drawings of people in action embody the university’s motto, “Educate the mind to think, the heart to feel, and the body to act,” and are carried throughout the building as a symbol of Trojan pride.

Said University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., “Not only will it be instrumental in serving those who are currently enrolled, but it will also be an attraction for those who are considering where they want to spend their next four years. As we talk about recruitment and retention, this will add so much value, and there is a strong link between physical fitness and academic success.”

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