Interior design integrates Empathetic Scholar model by emphasizing spaces for interpersonal development
Details are emerging about the building design for the new Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University and how it will integrate into Fort Worth’s historic Near Southside neighborhood. TCU announced in the spring the construction of the new medical campus in the heart of the city’s Medical District.
Todd Waldvogel, associate vice chancellor for facilities and campus planning, and Jason Soileau, assistant vice chancellor – planning, design and construction, shared plans and insight with TCU News.
To start, what are the overall plans and timeline for construction?
The building will be home to 240 medical students and hundreds of faculty and staff. Its placement at the corner of Henderson and Rosedale in the midst of the medical community and within walking distance of Fort Worth’s major hospitals and health care collaborators is key. We’ve broken ground on the four-story building, and it is planned to be completed in 2024.
What stands out most about the design?
To start with the inside, it’s actually how the design integrates with the priorities of the medical school. One of the school’s pillars is the Empathetic Scholar® model, which emphasizes relationships. TCU medical students see patients from their first day in medical school, alongside a preceptor, with the goal of students becoming compassionate physicians who can walk in a patient’s shoes. With that in mind, there are several spaces designed to emphasize interpersonal development.
Let’s look at the outside. What can we expect?
The design of the building is really a great mix. It introduces TCU’s signature buff bricks and arches in a manner that respects the architectural design requirements of the Near Southside.
What challenges have you encountered?
One thing is pedestrian traffic. Having closed Adams Street, we incorporated a portico to preserve pedestrian access across the property anticipating future development behind this first building. The primary thing, however, is the design restrictions of working in a historic neighborhood like the Near Southside. The Near Southside leadership was a great partner with TCU to work through the prescriptive nature of the area’s architectural guidelines to find a solution that worked for the Near Southside and for TCU. We’re very pleased with the result.
Watch the groundbreaking, read about the naming of the Burnett School of Medicine and learn more about the medical school.