St. Vincent Health Sciences Center Earns Architecture Award

A mere two months after its formal ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony, the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center has already garnered an award for architectural excellence. The new building is transforming learning and the Queens, NY Campus landscape and enables and empowers St. John’s University to train future generations of caregivers.

At a festive gathering held at The Garden City Hotel on Thursday, November 7, CannonDesign took home an “Archi Award” for Excellence in Architecture, Category - Institutional/Hospitality/Health Care/Government/Transportation/Educational for their work on the state-of-the-art St. Vincent Health Sciences Center.

“We are honored to have been asked to make this building with the team at St. John’s University. The result is testament to the University’s vision for adding contemporary new architecture to their bucolic Queens campus and their passionate commitment to ensuring for the education of tomorrow’s health care professionals,” said John Reed, AIA, Design Principal, CannonDesign.

The Annual AIA Long Island Chapter Design Awards Program recognizes the exceptional work of Long Island Architects and/or Long Island projects in architectural design. This prestigious awards program celebrates excellence and innovation in design, and acknowledges the significant contributions made by architects to our built environment.

“St. John’s is proud to share this award, and we salute our external partners CannonDesign and Shawmut Design and Construction that made our dream a reality,” said Brian Baumer, Associate Vice President, Campus Facilities and Services.

“We all know the new building is special at St. John’s and now the rest of the community is becoming aware of the innovation and educational excellence that will emerge from this building.”

The new, $106 million, St. Vincent Health Sciences Center is a tangible demonstration of St. John’s enduring commitment to fostering service, innovation, and academic excellence. The three-story building is built with eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient systems, reflecting the University’s dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The building features solar panels and bird-safe glass windows and is expected to earn LEED Silver certification.

State-of-the-art classrooms and lecture halls provide an optimal learning environment for students. Multiple Skills and Assessment Flex Labs and Hi-Fidelity Simulation Centers comprise approximately 25 percent of the building’s assignable floor area. Students’ clinical skills training within these “hospital” settings are observed through one-way glass and remotely via audiovisual capture systems. Advanced Simulation Laboratories are equipped with the latest technology to support groundbreaking health-care education training in a real life clinical setting.

The building offers a range of study spaces that support cohorts of students learning together, with the design of spaces inspired by the trend toward Learning Communities (mentorship and cohort groups) in medical education. Faculty offices are designed to encourage collaboration within more open environments than traditionally provided, and collaborative learning spaces encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among students, faculty, and researchers.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has been the leading professional membership association for licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners since 1857. The AIA serves as the voice of the architecture profession and conducts its goals through advocacy, information, and community. 

AIA Long Island, a Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, has over 600 members, including architects, associates, and professional affiliates. Its mission is to support its members, advance the profession of Architecture and promote its value to society.