ORLANDO, Fla. (Sept. 25, 2024) — Baker Barrios Architects today announced the completion of two osteopathic medical schools designed by the firm: Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM) in Orlando, Fla., and Baptist University College of Osteopathic Medicine (BUCOM) in Memphis, Tenn. These two state-of-the-art colleges reflect the growth of the field of osteopathic medicine, which, according to the American Association of Osteopathic Medicine, accounts for 25% of medical school enrollment, a figure that is expected to continue to rise as the profession meets the demand for health care, especially in rural and underserved areas.
“According to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 ranking of medical schools, osteopathic medical schools comprise all of the Top 5 and eight of the Top 10 schools with the most graduates practicing primary care, so we are truly designing facilities for the physicians of the future,” said Tim Baker, co-founder and CEO of Baker Barrios Architects. “Inspired by the growing influence of the osteopathic philosophy in health care, we wove the field’s holistic principles of mind, body and spirit together with advanced technology to create a learning environment that not only will teach tomorrow’s doctors how to treat patients, but also will enable them to establish healthy practices for themselves.”
To date, Baker Barrios has designed more osteopathic medical schools than any other architecture firm in the country, establishing its expertise in serving this growing health care sector.
“There is certainly an advantage to working with an architecture firm that understands the technical nuances of designing such complex projects,” added Baker. “We are well-versed in the code requirements, accreditation demands and other essential elements, which gives us a shared language with our clients and enables us to jump right into creating the design expression of their vision for the schools.”
Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM)
Located 20 miles from downtown Orlando, this ultra-modern facility greets visitors with a light-filled, two-story foyer that showcases the biophilic-inspired design features carried throughout the building. While the aesthetic nods to nature, the design also accommodates the latest technologies that support the education of physicians. For example, virtual cadaver labs enable students to explore complex anatomical structures in detail interactively without the ethical concerns or costs associated with real cadavers, while patient simulation labs improve both teaching efficiency as well as provide a standard learning experience without variables that come with humans. Given the role technology plays in the modern medical student’s life, Baker Barrios emulated the Apple Genius Bar to create a centralized tech station for students and faculty.
“When we met with the OCOM team, with Dr. Robert Hasty at the helm, we knew right away the design needed to reflect the future-focused ideology of the college, meaning it should evoke the same sense of place in 50 or 100 years as it does today,” said Wayne Dunkelberger, chief creative officer for Baker Barrios, who led the vision and design direction for the project. “Incorporating this focus on tech while honoring the mind-body-spirit ethos of the school’s mission was one of most engaging aspects of working on the design, and the feedback we’ve had from the client and newly enrolled students indicates our team has produced the right balance.”
Flexibility was also a key consideration in the learning spaces, and the Baker Barrios design includes classrooms set up for smaller groups, simulation labs with video monitoring and two auditoriums with stadium-style seating that can be rotated for collaboration among students. OCOM also includes a number of amenities such as a faculty lounge with views of the nightly fireworks display at nearby Disney World, student lounges and a café, prayer and meditation rooms, lactation rooms and a fitness center.
Baker Barrios also oversaw landscape architecture for the campus, connecting the built environment with the outdoors as a true extension of the building, a design approach that also aligns with the osteopathic health principles. “The inspiring views from within the building invite engagement with the outside spaces, which include walking paths, secluded spots for quiet enjoyment and larger gathering areas for student and faculty to come together for learning or social interaction,” said Dunkelberger.
With multiple lecture rooms and laboratories, a research facility and 97 faculty offices, OCOM is expected to accommodate over 1,000 medical students in the next decade.
Baptist University College of Osteopathic Medicine (BUCOM)
Undergoing an extensive $34 million redesign and renovation, a 94,000-square-foot building in Memphis’ medical district that previously served as classrooms and parking for the university now houses the newly opened BUCOM.
The facility features the latest technology and amenities popular among contemporary medical schools including an anatomy lab with capacity for 30 anatomy tables; advanced simulation and display equipment, including digital tables for virtual dissection; an osteopathic manipulative medicine lab for hands-on learning; four simulation rooms with high-fidelity patients; and 16 standardized patient rooms where students can interact with actors who simulate clinical scenarios.
“Adaptive reuse always presents unique challenges, and this project was no different,” said Johnny Dagher, principal with Baker Barrios. “Renovating a building of this size, which was originally a concrete parking structure with a pre-engineered metal building added to the second floor years later, required overcoming structural challenges while accommodating a specific design program tailored for a modern school of osteopathic medicine. But we — and our client — are thrilled with the outcome.”
While structural and code requirements, along with the specific elements required for accreditation as a COM school, were the biggest factors in designing this building, the unique topography of the mid-South and its relationship with the Mississippi River informed most of the visual design.
“Throughout BUCOM, one will find the theme of fluidity woven into the different elements, from the main staircase to the lighting fixtures to wall treatments and art,” said Dagher.
Inspiration also came from the mission of Baptist University itself. “The university is centered around fostering an atmosphere of respect for cultural diversity and the dignity of all persons, which also aligns with overall osteopathic principles of the ‘whole-person’ approach,” continued Dagher. “We carried both throughout the design, with multiple ‘third spaces’ for students and educators to organically connect, learning spaces to accommodate a variety of needs, as well as amenities to provide respite and an opportunity to recharge through meditation, prayer or whatever the individual seeks.”
BUCOM is part of the Baptist Memorial Health Care (BMHC) system, which is one of the largest health care systems in the mid-South region. It welcomed its first students this fall.
Other recent education and health care sector projects designed by Baker Barrios Architects include The Grand Center multipurpose building on the campus of the University of Tampa, renovations to the Olin Hall Laboratory for Vanderbilt University and multiple projects for Nashville-based HCA Healthcare.
For more information on Baker Barrios and to view more projects, visit www.bakerbarrios.com.
About Baker Barrios Architects:
Baker Barrios Architects was established in 1993, founded on the belief in creative excellence, innovative solutions and long-term relationships. The firm tells its clients’ stories through placemaking and creative design. Baker Barrios maintains a high level of involvement through a project’s completion to ensure the owner’s objectives are met and the integrity of design is maintained even after occupancy. The staff of highly trained professionals is experienced in a variety of assignments for developers, corporations, health care providers, religious organizations, state and local agencies, and colleges and universities, providing full-service planning, architecture, interior design and landscape architecture services.
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