Indiana University Approves Design for 11-Story Medical Education Building

The Board of Trustees at Indiana University recently approved the design of a new Medical Education Building for the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. The new facility will stand 11 stories tall, measure in at roughly 326,200 square feet and provide much-needed additional space for the instructional and research needs of various programs, according to a university news release.

The building will feature a three-story base with an eight-story tower above its southern quarter. The base will contain medical education facilities like support space, shell space for a research vivarium, classrooms, a medical library and collaborative learning spaces, as well as a central gathering space. The tower will contain three floors of faculty offices (floors 5–7) and three floors of flexible research space, as well as research support services and office space (floors 8­–10). The fourth and eleventh floors will serve as fully mechanical spaces that will provide mechanical services for the structure.

According to the news release, “The architecture expresses the unique character of Indiana University with its use of Indiana limestone and precast concrete accents. Along the first floor, warm brick accents will give scale to the building and acknowledge the use of brick on adjacent existing buildings.”

Local news reports that the new facility will be co-located with the Indianapolis Academic Health Center as part of a $1.6-billion development by IU Health in downtown Indianapolis.

The architectural design was developed by Browning Day and Perkins&Will. A university news story from 2020 reports that the project will cost an estimated $245 million, $75 million of which will be requested from the state of Indiana.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Porter Family Center

    Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Texas Recruitment

    Texas Recruitment

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The University of Texas at Austin's Texas Recruitment has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Agricultural Sciences Complex has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.