Cerner tags new ‘Innovations Campus’

Cerner, a global leader in health care technology, on Monday revealed design elements and the new identity for its I-435 and Bannister Road development. The campus will be called Innovations – a testament to the company’s work and vision.

“This project is a tangible reflection of Cerner’s growth and the next generation of health care innovations. The campus name and design features symbolize our commitment to develop solutions and services that will advance and improve the ever-changing health care industry. The work performed in these buildings will continue shaping the future of health care for both providers and patients,” said Cerner Chief Operating Officer Mike Nill.

Cerner, along with JE Dunn Construction and Grand Construction, teamed up with design and planning firm Gould Evans to emphasize Cerner’s position at the intersection of health care and technology, a description Cerner commonly uses to describe its work and the company’s vision.

“We’ve approached the site as a representation of the multi-layered, personal journey everyone takes through the health care landscape,” said Gould Evans Principal Anthony Rohr, AIA. “This new campus takes its name from the connections that occur when human ingenuity is in dialogue with nature. This concept is expressed in the way the campus buildings touch the land and integrate with the rambling landscape.”

Representations of binary coding and DNA sequencing – elements core to Cerner’s solution offerings and health care focus – will be prevalent in the final look of the buildings. The theme is integrated into various features and can be seen in small details like tiling and concrete paving. Some larger, attention-grabbing details, include:

• The Founder’s Staircase, located in the main entry between the first two towers, will feature metal perforated in binary code that translates into quotes from Cerner’s founders.
• A centrally located staircase collaboratorium, a 100-person space for associates to gather and exchange ideas, that connects the third and fourth floors.
• Metal panels inscribed with more than 340 of Cerner’s patents, with room for hundreds more. New panels will be added to celebrate Cerner’s future patents and innovations.
• A 188-foot-tall stainless steel facade, modeled after DNA sequencing, covering the outside of Tower 1. The DNA motif is common among several Cerner’s campuses, including in the signature spire at the company’s North Kansas City world headquarters and the facade of Cerner’s Continuous Campus in Kansas City, Kan.
• A system of walking paths, exercise stations and trails to promote a healthy lifestyle and associate interaction. Cerner’s existing campus in south Kansas City will be renamed Realization. “Realization is the act of achieving something that was planned. The meaning of this word has a strong connection with our forward-thinking business and innovative culture,” Nill said. “Innovation is all about looking forward, and realization is the process of getting there.”

Cerner’s continued growth prompted the development of its seventh Kansas City-area campus. The first two towers are almost entirely enclosed. External paneling of the building and landscaping is underway, and the towers are scheduled to open in early 2017. Innovations is the largest economic development project in the history of the state.