Tucson, Arizona, USA
As the nation’s first Integrative Medicine program, the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (AWCIM) was founded at the University of Arizona in 1994.
Today, the Center is the leading program for integrative medicine in the world and has developed the most comprehensive academic curriculum on the subject.
Globally, medical residents, students, and healthcare professionals participate in these programs.
Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine by Line and Space, received an 2025 International Architecture Honourable Mention from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
Research conducted by the Center focuses on the impact of the built environment on occupant health and wellness.
Through this research, sustainable and green design standards are evolving, resulting in healthy environments of all types and sizes.
The new three-building AWCIM complex incorporates the findings of the Center’s research into the design and embodies the 7 domains of integrative health as defined by the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine: sleep, resilience, environment, movement, relationships, spirituality, and nutrition.
The new facility serves as a landmark for the Center, providing inspiring spaces to house staff, faculty, workshops, and education programs.
Its design is expressive of the Center’s values, integrating considerations of the site, climate, light, space, views, and resource conservation. Materials and elements are used honestly, showing the efficiency, beauty, and warmth of natural materials.
The Center fosters a holistic connection to the natural environment through thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor spaces that build community and model sustainable living in the Sonoran Desert.
Climate-responsive architecture is adaptable to provide flexibility, while strategies like daylighting, shaded windows, rainwater harvesting, and connections to nature create a serene, comfortable experience for visitors and staff.
The site for the new Center was an existing parking lot at the edge of campus, adjacent to a park and above-ground parking garage.
To integrate the new facility seamlessly with the medical campus per the UA Masterplan, the project will connect via a large open greenspace.
Features such as desert landscaping with walking paths to the neighboring park will allow AWCIM to seamless mesh into the UA Masterplan.
This design also allows employees and the public to take relaxing breaks outdoors throughout the day.
Paths through the landscape and a labyrinth will allow for meditative walks to reduce stress and support spirituality and resilience.
To promote human connection, office spaces are open to encourage collaboration. A consistent use of glass maintains visibility throughout the structure.
Outdoor gardens and gathering spaces offer additional connection beyond the interior.
Efficiency and performance within the Center are monitored to gather data on the impacts of the workplace; research used to develop guidelines and resources for other entities to learn best workplace practices.
The design of the campus coincided with the release of the Covid-19 virus. In response, AWCIM integrates a ventilation system which can be adjusted to vary the amount of fresh outdoor air introduced into the spaces, helping increase air changes and allowing the building to be “flushed” if needed.
Additionally, the ventilation design is a unidirectional system where, conditioned air introduced from above is returned to the system at a low point on the wall.
This flow minimizes recirculation of contaminated air and helps mitigate respiratory viral spread.
Project: Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine
Architects: Line and Space LLC.
Design Team: Henry Tom, Johnny Birkinbine, Bob Clements and Jared Logue
Landscape Architects: Ten Eyck Landscape Architects (TELA)
Interior/Furnishings: White Baux Studio
Structural Engineers: Martin, White & Griffis Structural Engineers
Mechanical, Plumbing and Fire Protection Engineer: Kelly Wright & Associates
Electrical Engineer: M3 Engineering & Technology
Civil Engineers: Presidio Engineering, Inc.
Audio Visual: McKay Conant Hoover, Inc.
General Contractor: DPR Construction Inc.
Client: Planning, Design, and Construction (PDC) University of Arizona
Photographers: Bradley Wheeler
