Wexford Science & Technology, Atrium Health and Wake Forest University, The Pearl Innovation District

Located in midtown Charlotte, The Pearl Innovation District is a hub for translational research and partnerships. It is anchored by two new buildings, including the Howard R. Levine Center for Education and a new building for industry partners and research, the Research I Building. CO Architects programmed and designed the interiors and Ayers Saint Gross master planned the campus and designed the exteriors, both in collaboration with local architect, Neighboring Concepts.

The Howard R. Levine Center for Education tower is a 360,942-square-foot, 14-story building serves as a beacon for The Pearl Innovation District. The building is home to both the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Charlotte (WFUSOMC) campus and the Carolinas College of Health Sciences (CCHS). The Levine Center for Education is be home to Charlotte’s first medical school, which aspires to have one of the most diverse student bodies in the country.

The interior design for the Center for Education centers the Tree of Life motif that relates to the building program as you move up the tower. In the building's forum space, visitors are welcomed by two large "tree" columns that transition into ceiling baffles with a seamless arc like the canopy of a tree. This space is designed to bring people together and foster community. Mossy textures and vertical design elements create a grounded, immersive environment from levels three to six.

On experiential program levels with clinical skills, simulation, and lab spaces, the design inspiration evokes tree branches through the use of dynamic, bold colors and angular lines. On the top floors of the building, the design shifts again, taking cues from the tree canopy, with design strategies that create a space that feels light and airy, and ceilings that mimic dappled light. These spaces promote focus and clarity, creating refined workspace.

The 331,000-square-foot Research I Building, connected to the Levine Center for Education, serves as a hub for research and design with cutting-edge spaces to attract major health sciences innovators, including the anchor tenant, IRCAD North America. This is the only U.S. IRCAD location for the globally renowned state-of-the-art surgical training facility.

The first level of the building was designed as a destination space, welcoming visitors from around the globe to Charlotte. The design incorporates colors inspired by the North Carolina landscape, showcases furniture manufactured locally, and features artwork by regional artists. In the laboratory spaces on higher floors, the interior design shifts to the use of bold colors and cutting-edge technology, which fosters innovation and collaboration.

“The Pearl is a neighborhood where Charlotte’s historic vitality meets its innovative future. A place where excellence lives, and excellence is learned.”

Gene Woods, President and CEO, Atrium Health