Title: College of William & Mary McLeod Tyler Wellness Center
Location of Proejct: Williamsburg, Virginia
Project Completion Date: August 2018
Firm Name: EYP Architecture & Engineering

Short Description: According to the American College Health Association, 30% of college students report feeling so down at some point during the academic year that they found it difficult to function. At William & Mary student anxiety was an increasing concern. The administration committed $14 million dollars to provide an integrative wellness center that would go beyond traditional medical service to provide a convenient, welcoming, and holistic campus resource. The design approach focused on how the built environment could engage students and help them be successful and happy in their collegiate endeavors, with a focus on mindfulness and natural prevention.

Architect's Statement: College students’ physical and mental wellbeing can have a tremendous impact on their ability to develop academically and socially. Studies show that the students who need support the most are frequently the least likely to seek out resources on campus. The new, 30,000 SF McLeod Tyler Wellness Center at William & Mary is a beacon for health and wellness deliberately situated in the center of campus so that people pass by it multiple times a day and can easily step in and take part in the exciting activities inside. Here, the student community can discover multiple ways to address stress while learning positive lifelong habits.

The college’s eight dimensions of wellness served as the design team’s guiding principles for the development of building program elements and their arrangement into a completed building composition.
The team established the following goals early in the project:
• Reflect the paradigm shift toward the approach to wellness
• Focus on prevention rather than intervention
• Increase service and resources
• Be welcoming to everyone
• Celebrate the natural surroundings
• Embody beautiful architecture

The central design concept of framing the landscape to act as the building’s wallpaper came from two primary sources: noted architect Philip Johnson’s Glass House; and the iconic garage in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, where Cameron’s father housed his prized Ferrari…a story that is shared on campus tours to date.
The design celebrates the surrounding natural landscape while incorporating natural stone and a variation of the campus’ historic brick vernacular pattern to complement neighboring buildings and pay homage to the college’s traditions.

The back of the building is nestled into a peaceful setting near the scenic Crim Dell, with large, floor-to-ceiling windows that provide expansive views of nature and allow abundant daylight to enter the spaces. The windows also visually connect occupants to site features including a Zen rock garden, labyrinth, meditation garden, woodlands, and walking paths. Along with the building’s architectural character, the landscape design was developed in response to the natural setting, collectively giving the project a welcoming and non-institutional appearance.

The first floor of the building features the Student Health Center; multipurpose spaces offering wellness programs; staff offices; and meditation rooms. The second floor houses the Counseling Center, meditation alcoves, a conference room, and a shared staff breakroom that doubles as a small teaching kitchen to be used for nutritional demonstrations. Through this mix of private and public spaces, the search for healing and wellness is seen not as solely an individual endeavor but also as a shared, communal experience.

Biophilic elements are incorporated throughout the interior with use of natural patterned colors, fabrics, stone, wood, and water. Like a deep breath, these intentional elements reinforce the center’s connection to nature and contribute to the calm, restorative environment. The design elements that encourage activity are embodied in the central two-story living room, which features an open stair to connect the upper and lower floors with breathtaking views of the Crim Dell. The central space provides convenient access to all the resources of the building. While the Crim Dell provides a relaxing backdrop to the living room, the most relaxing feature of the space is arguably a biophilic water feature that provides a contemplative element that helps emphasize the spiritual dimension of wellness.

Throughout the building, 70% of the spaces have direct views outside. This evidence-based design strategy to reduce stress through views of natural positive distractors is cited as one of the center’s strongest features to promote healing.

Natural daylighting, thermal comfort, and attention to indoor air quality all contribute to environmental health. The project achieved LEED Gold certification to quantify this dimension and as a visible commitment to a healthy building.

Wellness centers are a relatively recent building type and there is limited research available on their effectiveness. To gain further insight, the design team invited researchers from a third party, the University of Virginia, to help assess the building. The study produced findings that helped all parties understand the impact of the center’s design, the benefits of collocation and staff collaboration, and how to further engage students.

By all accounts, the college community is now thriving. The building has been operating for four years, and pre- and post-occupancy metrics show that the programs & community within the building have fundamentally changed how wellness is defined and supported at William & Mary.