Robbins Health Learning Centre Functional Program

Manasc Isaac completed the Functional Programme for the new Robbins Health Learning Centre (primarily a School of Nursing) for Grant MacEwan College. We visited related facilities in Texas and BC, defined the programme parameters, planned the sustainable design strategies, integrated the building systems and evaluated the competing design-build team’s submissions.

Challenges included the development of a functional programme in the absence of an educational program. The new BSc Nursing programming was in very early stages of its development and there was little information as to the true functioning of the facility. Many programming decisions were based on the best estimates of functional and space needs, equipment and operational issues. This was resolved by looking at Nursing and Medical Schools in other locations and identifying the optimal and most flexible planning strategy possible.

Using LEED® as a guide, the finished Robbins  building is  an energy efficient structure which minimizes annual operating costs and optimizes the quality of the learning environment.