Construction has started on the 390,914 SF Anschutz Health Sciences Building at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Designed by ZGF Architects in partnership with Anderson Mason Dale, the building is in a gateway location at the western edge of the campus in Aurora. The building will serve as a beacon marking an entry point to the campus via the “artwalk” — a path connecting many campus buildings. Multiple users will occupy the building, including researchers, faculty and staff, students and patients. It includes facilities for computational research and clinical trials, an educational medical simulation hub, mental and behavioral health research clinics, faculty offices and other educational and amenity spaces.

“Health sciences today are a team sport,” CU Anschutz Medical Campus Chancellor Don Elliman said. “With our ability with this new building to combine our resources in mental health, our resources in clinical translation of science and our resources in personalized medicine into one contiguous spot gives us an opportunity for them to play off of each other in ways we haven’t been able to do before.”

Designers used parametric modeling to analyze the building envelope, daylighting and glazing performance. A highly efficient heat-recovery system will support the university’s energy goals, resulting in an energy reduction of approximately 60% and 20% energy cost savings. The project, scheduled for completion in 2021, is targeting LEED Gold certification.