Simulation Lab Design

When tapped to design the Grover Center Expansion for Ohio University, Hasenstab Architects utilized our expertise in simulation lab design and healthcare training to create a creative and efficient plan for the university. A complex project, the expansion involved renovating an existing gymnasium and transforming it into usable space for the School of Nursing and School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness (AHSA). The project added an additional 12,000 square feet to the existing 184,000-square-foot building.

Maximizing every square foot of space was fundamental to the success of the project. By building an intermediate floor structure, two floor levels were created within the existing space that previously made up the gymnasium. The first floor now accommodates a variety of needs including four research labs, an atrium kitchen pantry, two athletic training labs and the Nutrition Education Center with a test kitchen lab.

Considering the various research needs of staff and students, these labs are designed to accommodate sizes ranging from four smaller areas to one larger lab with the use of operable partitions.

The second floor of the gymnasium was designed to provide maximum space for the School of Nursing. The School of Nursing curriculum incorporates numerous opportunities for students to get hands-on experience. Accordingly, the simulation lab design provides the optimal environment for learning. The primary area includes four bedside skills labs. The plan also established customized nursing-specific simulation spaces which include two Immersive Patient Care Management Simulation (IPCMS) stations and four ambulatory clinic rooms. A large, streamlined classroom space incorporates moveable seating and mobile white boards as part of the expansion.