Research College of Nursing – Center for Clinical Advancement, Kansas City

Interior Architecture- Large Scale (>5,000 sf)

Project Narrative

Research College of Nursing (RCoN) set out to create a consolidated campus equipped with modern technology and amenities to meet the evolving demands of nursing education. The shared vision, "The Future of Wellness," called for a dynamic environment that empowers students, faculty, and staff, offering both the energy to excel and the space to recharge, representing a new era of trailblazing for the college and the communities it serves.

BHDP designed RCoN's portion of a new three-story nursing education building, a space the college shares with HCA's Clinical Center for Advancement. RCoN's program includes five clinical labs, four classrooms, a student lounge and study space, a testing suite, and administrative and faculty areas, as well as shared access to a simulation suite. A key design challenge was consolidating diverse administrative roles into a single cohesive suite. As faculty transitioned from private offices to an open benching model, BHDP created individual workstation pods separated by small phone rooms, alongside open meeting areas with attached conference and huddle spaces, fostering a more connected, collaborative culture.

Sustainability and inclusion were woven into the design from the start. Wellness rooms and a variety of lounge configurations give students and staff genuine choice in how and where they work, while the latest technology for nursing education grounds the curriculum in realistic, practical scenarios that mirror the environments graduates will enter. The project is tracking for LEED Gold certification.

The new building gives RCoN students, faculty, and staff an environment purpose-built for their success. Sharing the facility with HCA's Clinical Center for Advancement creates a natural synergy that mirrors real-world healthcare, making the space feel less like a school and more like a place of practice. With lab spaces and collaborative areas designed to inspire, everyone who steps into the building can see firsthand the innovative work being done to prepare the next generation of nurses to deliver exceptional care.