Best of 2005 Awards

Pfizer Pharmaceutical Clinical Research Facility

Award of Merit: Research Facility

The three-story clinical research facility built in New Haven, Conn., for Pfizer Inc. and Yale University is a health-care facility planned with the 21st Century in mind.

But what caught the eye of the Best of 2005 jury was the flexibility of the project team, which managed to work with the demands of both corporate and academic clients, while pursuing sustainable design goals for the building.

"You have the added challenges of having to work within a university environment and with a client that gets deeply involved in the design process," one juror said. "So you've got the university officials, the Pfizer facility people, and the LEED [silver] certification."

The 62,500-sq.-ft. building provides Pfizer with the ability to perform in-house clinical trials of drug products. The $35 million center, which opened in April, can house up to 50 volunteers as well as support facilities to operate the clinic. It will also support 50 staff members.

The design's flexible configuration of labs, multipurpose rooms, and an onsite pharmacy will give the facility the ability to adapt to the changing health-care world in years to come.

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The facility is situated on two prominent New Haven streets on a 2.5-acre downtown site. Its design aimed to meld into the scale of the neighborhood while staying compatible with Pfizer's corporate image. The corners of the building - featuring public elements such as stairs, waiting areas, and conference rooms - consists of curtain wall cradled by a mixture of precast units and brick banding, all designed to fit into the local fabric.

The design aimed to ensure a smooth experience for clinical volunteers, who will stay in the facility for up to 30 days at a time. In addition to 50 beds in semiprivate rooms, a dining and food preparation area, and recreation spaces, there are carefully chosen colors, a quiet room, and an exterior terrace.

The building earned "certified" level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design status from the U.S. Green Building Council for its overall design and energy-saving strategies.

Key Players

Owner: Pfizer Inc.

Programming, Planning, Design: S/L/A/M Collaborative

Construction Manager-General Contractor: Whiting Turner Contracting

M-E-P Engineer: van Zelm, Heywood & Shadford

Civil Engineer: Fuss & O'Neill

Geotechnical Engineer: Haley & Aldrich