Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri, United States
A building so healthy that it inspired a research study
A new home for the Brown School
The 105,000-square-foot Hillman Hall more than doubled the teaching, research, and program space for the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. The building includes seven new classrooms, individual and group study space, 68 faculty offices, five new meeting rooms, and a full-service cafe. At the heart of Hillman Hall is the Clark-Fox Forum, a 4,000-square-foot atrium that hosts campus and community events.
Creating a “healthy” building
Hillman Hall is laden with healthy features, such as abundant natural light, indoor plantings, collaborative spaces, standing desks, and walking paths. The noticeable changes experienced by users of the LEED Platinum building led to a year-long research project by Brown School faculty who sought to quantify the impact of the building’s healthy features.
Collaboration to engage end users
Alberici eagerly embraced Washington University’s need for collaboration at a level rarely seen in the world of construction. The team worked with six highly-engaged user group committees to facilitate collaborative decision-making while evaluating impacts to not only the facility and campus, but also to the community and world at large.
Mock-ups to ensure satisfaction
To facilitate informed decision-making and ensure user satisfaction with the completed facility, Alberici constructed mock-ups for nearly every element of the building. Mock-ups included exposed concrete columns, masonry, light fixtures, flooring, glass, exterior, and interior office.