An Oasis for Discovery – Mayo Clinic Integrated Education & Research Building
The Mayo Clinic Integrated Education & Research Building (IERB) draws inspiration from Mayo's "three-shields" of patient care: Cure, Connect and Transform. IERB centralizes Mayo's six education programs with research space into one interdisciplinary facility. The building is a welcoming connector that both reflects and responds to its unique desert environs. Its three elements — an education bar, laboratory bar and connecting bridge — form a covered outdoor courtyard, creating an iconic shaded oasis at the center of the project.
The IERB houses Mayo’s Alix School of Medicine and provides space for up to 30 full-time researchers, clinicians and investigators. To support these programs, the building provides technology-enabled classrooms of various sizes, simulation and exam rooms, and a virtual-reality room. Research spaces are designed to accelerate discovery and include flexible wet labs, the Center for Procedural Innovation lab, and a core lab equipped for flow cytometry, two-photon microscopy for deep tissue visualization and genomic analysis.
The IERB is designed to support not only learning and research, but also the informal connections that are essential to academic and professional growth. A variety of shared spaces offer opportunities for students to gather, exchange ideas and build relationships with peers and mentors. These environments encourage spontaneous conversations and group interaction, helping students develop strong networks that extend beyond the classroom and foster a sense of community within the institution.
The Mayo Clinic has an established design language characterized by regionally responsive materials and clean, as well as simple and bold volumes punctuated by windows. Because of the IERB’s prominent location on campus, Mayo encouraged the design team to explore new possibilities, creating a building that makes a strong impression from the street while remaining regionally appropriate and complementary to the existing Phoenix campus architecture.
The central courtyard provides respite from the desert sun and serves as a social heart for the campus, promoting spontaneous interactions and fostering a sense of community. Over the oasis, durable PTFE fabric sails span 100 feet between the wings to reinforce the interdependence between the academic and research programs, while providing shade from the intense Phoenix sun and allowing filtered light and airflow. Through detailed geometric modeling, the design team developed a simple yet resilient canopy structure that minimizes wind buffeting and facilitates drainage, extending over the bridge terrace to further enhance the outdoor collaboration space.
