Pharmaceutical, Biomedical Sciences Building dedication Friday

SPOKANE, Wash. – During this Thanksgiving week, Washington State University Spokane is giving thanks for the completion of its new $80 million Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences building.

Gary Pollack
Gary Pollack

The building – which took two years to construct — will be formally dedicated Friday, Dec. 6 during a 1:30 pm ceremony. Frank Chopp, the speaker of the Washington House of Representatives, will participate, as will WSU President Elson Floyd and WSU Spokane Chancellor Lisa Brown. The event is open to the public. Tours of the building will follow and then, at 4 pm, a second ceremony will be held to dedicate its major piece of art, a suspended cascading glass sculpture by California artist Kana Tanaka.

“It is equivalent to the best pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences building anywhere in the nation,” said College of Pharmacy Dean Gary Pollack.

About two-thirds of the new five-story, 125,000-square foot structure will be occupied by WSU’s College of Pharmacy, which has nearly completed its relocation from the university’s Pullman campus. Pharmacy faculty will occupy the top two floors of research space. Medical Sciences researchers will occupy the second floor laboratory and office space.

“The new research cores will greatly expand our research capabilities on campus to include advanced imaging technology, mass spectrometry and genomics research,” said Medical Sciences Director Ken Roberts.

The building also includes several laboratories where students will study anatomy by using cadavers.

A challenge to build

The building was designed by NBBJ, a company with projects all over the world. Graham Construction of Spokane has managed the project. A network of engineering firms and contractors, including AEI Affiliated Engineers (mechanical and electrical), Coughlin Porter Lundeen (structural), Taylor Engineering (civil) and SPVV (landscaping) have also been involved. Those companies have all donated money to underwrite the dedication ceremony.

Ken Roberts
Ken Roberts

“One of the most challenging aspects of this project was constructing a LEED Certified building when the use of the building includes research labs and anatomy labs,” said Steve Hall, WSU construction engineer. “These types of spaces require many air changes resulting in energy loss that make it difficult to meet the LEED certification required by the state.”

Faculty and staff members have begun moving into the new building. Spring semester classes will begin there in January.

Art dedication afterward

A separate ceremony will be held at 4 pm to celebrate “Cascade,” the building’s signature artwork designed by Kana Tanaka. Her glass sculpture is comprised of thousands of hand-formed glass water drops that flow through the entire north side of the building. It was inspired by the Spokane River, the building’s architecture and the water feature that moves through the healing garden at the building’s west end. Scattered throughout the suspended sculpture are occasional pieces of colorful glass, representing leaves or petals picked up by running water, or glints of sunlight.

In addition to its special dedication, “Cascade” will be one of the featured displays in downtown Spokane’s First Friday arts celebration that evening.

Dedication ceremony for WSU Spokane’s new Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences building

WHEN: Friday, December, 6 at 1:30 pm (tours of the building afterward; separate ceremony for art installation at 4 pm)

WHERE: 205 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane

Contact:

Terren Roloff, WSU Spokane communications, 509-358-7527, terren.roloff@wsu.edu