On one of the most active medical campuses in the Midwest, IWR delivered the building enclosure for the seven-story vertical expansion of the Steven & Susan Lipstein BJC Institute of Health at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Constructed atop a fully operational six-story biomedical research facility, the expansion required a façade that preserved architectural continuity with the original 13-year-old structure. It also demanded modern energy and performance codes while supporting uninterrupted lab operations on the lower levels.

As the design-assist enclosure partner, IWR worked alongside general contractor Alberici Constructors and the project team early in the process to evaluate wall systems and align constructability with budget. Just one month before material release, the original limestone and strip-window concept shifted to a fully unitized curtainwall system paired with aluminum composite and insulated metal panels. IWR led the redesign, coordinating procurement and sequencing to keep the project on track.

“IWR’s team was instrumental in preconstruction coordination and helped us resolve challenging sequencing issues, integrate with existing façade systems and identify cost-effective solutions without sacrificing performance or aesthetic,” said Jake Clancy, senior project manager at Alberici Constructors.

Execution became just as critical once work moved into the field. On the constrained urban medical campus, IWR coordinated off-site material staging and tower crane placement of pre-assembled curtainwall units to minimize disruption and maximize installation efficiency. Even when mock-up testing temporarily delayed critical jamb conditions, the team adapted field operations to sustain momentum and preserve milestone dates.

With more than 31,000 injury-free hours, LEED Silver certification support and a 15% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) field participation rate, the project reflects the IWR way: commitment to craftmanship, safety and long-term partnerships in healthcare construction.

That performance earned industry recognition beyond the jobsite. In 2025, IWR received the AGC of Missouri Keystone Award in the Specialty Contractor – Subcontractor Building Construction category for its work on the vertical expansion. The project also earned Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) Midwest Best Project recognition in the Higher Education/Research category.

The finished enclosure delivers a seamless visual match to the original six-story structure and meets modern codes required for a leading-edge biomedical research environment. It adds critical research capacity for Washington University and the St. Louis medical community, supporting innovation in patient care for decades to come.