Kansas City University Center for Population Health and Equity

The Center for Population Health and Equity (CPHE) building, a new addition to Kansas City University’s (KCU) Joplin Campus, will serve as an incubator of new ideas and approaches to treating the systemic factors that impact community health. CPHE is designed to boost connection between the existing medical and dental wings, creating a seamless flow throughout the building.

Location: Joplin, MO
Size: 52,400 SF

KCU has been widely recognized as a leader in health education and interdisciplinary collaboration. Its new Center for Population Health and Equity program advances the University’s mission by engaging in research and education on the economic, social, environmental, cultural, and physical factors that contribute to health. On the Kansas City campus, CPHE faculty and researchers will study and analyze data of the surrounding urban population. In Joplin, they will focus on the rural community within the four-state region that KCU serves.

Helix focused on a wellness-driven concept of health and the importance of the four- state rural context (Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas). Inspired by the natural beauty of Joplin’s landscapes, where farmland is intersected by swaths of curved forested areas, Helix incorporated sweeping curves throughout the building. As a center dedicated to improving health outcomes, the wellness-focused architecture and contextually anchored identity pulls from the textures and tones from the region to create an environment of calm, comfort, and thoughtfulness.

The CPHE extends KCU’s presence on the East side of campus, becoming the first thing that visitors see as they approach. The new entry invites all who enter to engage in CPHE’s mission of creating a more integrated, healthier, and happier community.

The building features wet labs, technology classrooms, faculty office space, and space for community outreach. The new biosafety level two (BSL-2) wet labs contain specialized areas for low light microscopy, chemical and cold storage, and tissue culture. State-of-the-art lab equipment and safety devices are provided throughout, and PVC-free rubber flooring ensures a hygienic environment. Floor to ceiling windows fill the space with natural light and allow students and visitors to get a glimpse of research in action.

KCU will leverage the CPHE to strengthen its community partnerships and build new relationships in the pursuit of improving health outcomes. It will incorporate community education and clinical outreach, using CPHE as a home base while they provide essential healthcare services. Shell space along the perimeter of the CPHE will allow the building to accommodate KCU as needs grow.