Mayo Clinic’s Dan Abraham Health Living Center, which expanded five floors in 2014 to bring comprehensive health and wellness programming to the world-renowned medical center in Rochester, Minn., received the highest honor for design in 2017 by the American Institute of Architects Illinois Prairie Chapter.
In awarding the center with the Excellence in Design Award, jurors noted “the consistency of vision across both phases and interior and exterior of this project.” The jurors also said, “the care with which the individual spaces were shaped makes the most of every surface.” As architect of record and the lead designer, BWBR worked in collaboration with Dewberry on the expansion.
The project expanded the existing Dan Abraham Healthy Living Program designed by BWBR and Dewberry in 2006, bringing a sports medicine clinic and four floors of programming that integrated wellness programs into Mayo Clinic’s healthcare services. The expansion features a balance of care, fitness, nutrition and natural and spiritual awareness.
Welcoming guests into a personal journey of confidence, inspiration and beauty influenced the design elements. A mix of natural elegance, rich materials, and radiant natural light greets guests in the lobby and begins the transcendent journey to long-lasting wellness. Showing a restrained beauty, the expansion reflects Mayo Clinic’s approach to show respect for the guest and employee while demonstrating sophistication in health and care.
“This was a special project because it demonstrated that care is more than just treating an illness. Mayo Clinic’s expertise in health and care shines through this facility to help people lead a healthier lifestyle and avoid the ailments that come with age or sedentary living,” said Pete Smith, FAIA, president and CEO at BWBR and principal-in-charge on the project.
This is the third award for the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center expansion. In 2016, the expansion received a Facilities of Merit Award from Athletic Business Magazine, and in 2016 the Northland Chapter of the International Interior Design Association recognized Sports Medicine Clinic with a Healthcare Design FAB Award.
