Bluefield State University Medical Education Center

In 2021, the Bluefield State University acquired the Bluefield Regional Medical Center and has been converting the former hospital into academic and student housing facilities for the campus. The second floor is being renovated in phases as the Medical Education Center, to provide space for the College of Allied Health Professions. Phase 1 will open in the Spring of 2025 and involved the renovation of 12,000 square feet of the East Wing of the second floor for the Associate and Bachelor of Science of Nursing programs. Phase 2 will include renovating the West Wing for the Radiologic Technology and Sonography programs and the South Wing for the Administrative Suite and Respiratory Therapy program. The conversion of the floor has focused around creating student-centered spaces for collaboration, including study space (many of the institution’s students are commuters and need space on campus to spend time during the day) as well as computer labs for assessment, simulation labs, and flexible, multifunctional learning spaces. ETA’s interior team designed furniture and finishes for this project, ensuring the design vision was fully realized down to the last detail.

TGRI

This 10,000 square foot suite in the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center is a build-out of remaining shell space dedicated to cancer research and clinical trials personnel.  Challenges included fitting traditional wet bench laboratory spaces within the non-rectilinear plan, adding central lab water, gas and HVAC infrastructure, and managing construction staging within a health care environment.  Due to an unusually high existing floor to ceiling space, we identified an opportunity for a mezzanine open work area that also takes advantage of daylight for Clinical Trials staff.  Our firm provided programming, lab planning, design and construction administration services.  The project was completed in 2011.

Visual Arts Center

This six-story, one hundred and thirteen year-old structure sat vacant for nearly 20 years before Marshall University purchased it to transform into a new home for the School of Art & Design, their first significant expansion into the downtown.  Presented with a complex program that required more space than was available in the building, we worked closely with faculty to identify critical adjacencies and opportunities for shared space.  The solution creates consistent floor-to-floor patterns, yet elegantly resolves the complex and varied departmental needs.

The design concept was to create an open, modern feeling within the historic structure. Lighting and acoustics were carefully addressed in the design.  Conduit, piping and lighting were organized to minimize visual clutter, and a warm gray color unifies the ceiling plane.  A unique color scheme on each level, reflected in signage and furniture selections, serves as an orienting feature from floor to floor. The result is a hip, sophisticated space with just the right mix of historic elements and modern design.

“You spent many hours listening to what the faculty needed to deliver quality experiences to our students, and you took that information and developed a very comprehensive program.  Your design that came from the program is beautiful and functional, and the Visual Arts Center is a masterpiece.  Our partnership with your firm was a rewarding experience for all of us at Marshall University.  Thank you!”
— Don Van Horn, Dean, Marshall University Visual Arts Center

“From the initial meeting, it was clear you were committed to providing a personalized approach to the design process. Your team took the time to listen to our needs and understand the unique vision we had for the project. You showed a genuine interest in our goals and worked tirelessly to ensure that our needs were met throughout the entire design process.

Your attention to detail was impressive, and you were able to incorporate all of our ideas and requirements into the final design while still maintaining a high level of functionality and aesthetic appeal. Your innovative approach to design created a space that was not only beautiful but also functional and practical. Throughout the project, you remained in close communication with us, providing regular updates and seeking feedback to ensure the design met our expectations. Your commitment to client satisfaction was evident in the final design, which exceeded our expectations in every way.”
— Daniel Kaufman, Program Director, Associate Professor, Photography, Marshall University College of Arts & Media, School of Art & Design

School of Pharmacy

Marshall University’s new School of Pharmacy opened in August 2012. The challenge was to create a state-of-the-art pharmacy program within an existing 1980’s era classroom building. Our firm was the lead architect on the project and we partnered with S/L/A/M Collaborative in Connecticut for programming and schematic design.  The design team provided facility assessment, programming and full design services including interior design & furnishings. The result is an extensive transformation of the first two floors of the four-floor, 69,000 sf building. The lack of access to daylight demanded a new interior environment with a sense of openness in large, flowing spaces that are warm and welcoming. Floors are organized with the primary social/community areas at the heart of the plan.  Glass interior walls provide transparency from the public spaces into classrooms, labs, and skills areas to enhance the sense of community. Strategic use of technology throughout the building creates connectivity and community for students and faculty.  Team-teaching areas, classrooms and common areas all have technology-embedded walls to support the School of Pharmacy’s active learning educational model.

“…speaking for the faculty, staff and students we are very proud of the dynamic educational and research environment… At the end of our first semester with the inaugural class, all of us are enthusiastic about the positive outcomes that are being realized in these new spaces.”
–Dr. Kevin Yingling, Dean, School of Pharmacy, Marshall University

Forensic Science Center

The project is the culmination of an 11-year phased construction process that began with the firm developing a master plan for the Forensic Science campus. Phase I was completed in 1999 and the program located in the renovated locker room building at the north end of Fairfield Stadium, Marshall’s former football stadium. Phase II was completed in 2004 with a two-story addition to the existing building providing computer forensics, digital evidence lab and administrative spaces. Phase III was completed in 2009 with a three-story addition providing a biotech business incubator, forensic science instruction and research laboratory spaces. We coordinated all aspects of the design including lab equipment.  A biotech business incubator and additional classroom space was built out in 2014.

“The MU Forensic Science Center’s phased design created a unified campus to reflect a cohesive theme, highlighting that state-of-the-art forensic science is being performed within these structures. It has be a pleasure working with Edward Tucker Architects. We hope to work together on future projects including a drug testing and research laboratory.”
— Dr. Terry Fenger, Director, Forensic Science Program, Marshall University

Erma Ora Byrd

Our firm served as lead architect for this 80,000 square foot health care and higher education facility, completed in 2007.  We partnered with Freeman/White, a Charlotte, NC firm specializing in healthcare design.  Freeman/White provided design and programming consultation in the schematic design and design development phases, with our firm producing construction documents and performing construction administration services, as well as designing furniture and signage.

The project site was formerly Marshall University’s football stadium.  This presented a unique challenge due to the elevation change from ‘field level’ to ‘street level.’    The first floor of the building is academic space used by Marshall’s Joan C. Edward’s School of Medicine.  This floor is accessed from the field level.  The academic spaces include a tiered classroom with a state-of-the-art audio-visual system, a clinical skills lab and reading room.  The upper three floors are clinical space, accessed from the main patient entry at the street level.  Also in the project scope was a post-tensioned concrete parking deck for patient parking.

The building utilizes soft earth tones, coordinated furnishings and warm lighting to create a comfortable atmosphere for its inhabitants.  The large exam rooms, acoustic control and centrally located nurse stations create a functional and pleasant environment for clinical practice.