University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine

The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (AWCIM) was founded in 1994 at the University of Arizona as the first Integrative Medicine program in the country. Today, the Center is the leading program for integrative medicine in the world and has developed the most comprehensive academic curriculum on the subject. Programs educate practitioners from all over the world and offer training for medical residents, students, and healthcare professionals.

The Center conducts extensive research on the impact of the built environment on health and wellness of occupants. This research is changing the standards of green and sustainable design, leading to the creation of healthy environments of all types and scales. The new AWCIM building incorporates the findings of the Center’s research into the design and is a laboratory for research, providing real time ability to monitor the performance of the spaces and their occupants.

The facility promotes a physical, spiritual, and emotional connection to the natural environment with indoor and outdoor spaces that focus on building a unified community and demonstrate how to live and work responsibly in the arid Sonoran Desert. Response to climate and architectural expression of building functions helps clarify the experience, while strategies such as daylighting, shading of windows, harvesting rainwater, and providing a strong connection to nature creates a comfortable and peaceful place for users and staff.