ANN ARBOR, Mich.—The University of Michigan’s College of Pharmacy building continues construction work thanks to a team comprising construction management firm Turner Construction, designer RDG Planning & Design, MEP firm Alvine Engineering, structural engineer TD2 Engineering & Surveying, and civil engineer Midwestern Consulting.������

The $141 million, 142,000-square-foot structure, due to be completed in time for the Fall 2025 term, consolidates operations of the College of Pharmacy under one roof.�� Previously, its various operations had been spread across campus in various facilities.������

The construction plan entails a major push toward sustainability, with mass-timber techniques intended to not only speed up the timeline of work but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.�� RDG’s design is anticipated to result in a 40-percent reduction in carbon emissions as part of the sustainable design, resulting in over 1,500 MTCO2e reduction.�� This is the equivalent to the amount of carbon that 1,800 acres of forest can trap in just one year.������

Other sustainable construction elements include using chilled beams, water conservation as part of a stormwater management system, as well as high-efficiency power systems.�� The project will also save approximately 52 percent in its energy consumption by using on-campus power generation.�� The designers are aiming for LEED Gold certification.������

In addition to being more sustainable, mass timber also reduces the potential catastrophic nature of a fire.�� The timber contains a “char layer” that protects the inner part of the building from burning.�� The mass timber also offers a strong frame that makes the building more endurable in the long term.������

“The pharmacy community’s mission is to improve health outcomes, and our wellness is impacted by the environment,” Dean Vicki Ellingrod of the College of Pharmacy, said of the sustainable nature of the project.�� “I am happy that we are doing our part to support the university’s goals of carbon neutrality and sustainability.”��

RDG Architect and Senior Partner Benjamin Kroll said that in addition to reducing the buildup of greenhouse gasses, the mass timber design offers a more “biophilic” environment that is beneficial not only for the environment but for students of the College of Pharmacy.������

“This project represents a significant leap forward in sustainable building practices and serves as a model for future research projects aiming for environmental responsibility,” said Kroll.��

RDG Planning & Design offers services in landscape architecture, interior design, lighting design, urban and comprehensive planning and design, as well as graphic design, engineering and integrated and public art.�� The firm operates from locations in Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin.��

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As Poris’ first education facility with the architecture firm, he brings new insight to educational design. Poris spoke with 91��Ƶ about how he used his background from other architecture sectors to design the studio space, which offers college preparatory classes to Detroit minority public high school students.

Q: As your first education facility, how did the project differ from ones you’ve completed in the past?

Poris: The Michigan Research Studio is the first education facility designed by McIntosh Poris Associates, but before establishing the firm more than 20 years ago, I worked on several higher-education projects across the country in my early career. This program is particularly unusual because the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning had the vision to create a college preparatory architectural education program for Detroit’s public high school students.

Since there are few minorities in the architecture profession, the program encourages greater diversity in the field and exposes students to design as a possible career path. Although classes are taken for high school credit, the Michigan Research Studio serves as the university’s satellite space. The Architecture Prep Program (ArcPrep) is modeled after college-level courses on architecture, urbanism and design led by Taubman College teaching fellows. It gives students an opportunity to discover their interests, learn about citywide building issues and express their points of view about the world around them.

Q: What was it like designing for your alma mater, and how did that reflect the overall design and feel of the project?

Poris: As an alum of the Taubman College at University of Michigan, it was important to create an open studio atmosphere similar to one experienced on the Ann Arbor, Mich., campus. We depicted the university’s spirit and branding through bold school colors in maize and blue paint. Ceiling components, such as mechanical/electrical, structural steel, ductwork and plumbing, are concealed in blue, while amenity areas, including water fountains and bathrooms, are identified in maize.

We also designed a simple and flexible floor plan to accommodate seminars, lectures, student exhibitions and events. Students can easily reconfigure drawing tables in clusters or work off laptops to freely interact with one another. The walls act as pin-up or display space to aid the learning process. The overall classroom experience mimics actual college instruction with students solving design problems in groups, at drawing tables or by pinning up their work.

Q: Did you incorporate student or staff feedback into your design?

Poris: Yes, we worked closely with the director of the program, Milton Curry, associate dean for Academic and Strategic Initiatives and associate professor of Architecture, who was committed to providing Detroit students a jumpstart on a collegiate architecture program and increase diversity in the profession. The university’s goal was for students to have a profound effect on the future of the built environment. In order for us to accomplish this, we wanted to provide an intimate and safe environment for students to exchange ideas.

The space acts as a teaching tool by exposing the building’s raw elements to exhibit the inner workings of architecture. This gives students a point of reference during their lessons and an opportunity to engage in dialogue among themselves and with their instructors. By reducing the space to the bare essentials, we created an inspiring place for learning. This strategy was not only effective in creating a stimulating environment for the students, but also in keeping the build-out cost low.

Q: How does the off-campus Michigan Research Studio reflect some of the changes in education design?

Poris: I believe we’re seeing more partnerships among educational institutions. Although the University of Michigan is offering the ArchPrep program independently, they are reaching out and working together with the Detroit Public Schools Community District to attract minority high school students. This joint venture is significant because the university is offering high school-level architecture classes that aren’t normally offered in public schools. In addition, the Michigan Research Studio acts as an agent for change in the community and in the architecture profession as a whole. If students choose to pursue a career in architecture and design as a result of their participation, their lives will be transformed socially and economically, and they in turn will shape their communities.

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