Roberto Gomez
Senior Consultant
Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, the TMC3 Collaborative Building is the cornerstone of Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park and a national model for interdisciplinary research and innovation. The 260,000-square-foot facility brings together five founding institutions—Texas Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and Texas A&M University Health Science Center—to foster collaboration and accelerate the translation of academic research into real-world medical advances.
Acentech collaborated with the design team led by Elkus Manfredi Architects, providing building acoustics and mechanical system noise control consulting for both interior and exterior environments. Acoustical performance was a critical consideration throughout the building, particularly in the dramatic four-story central atrium, which serves as a public gathering space for events and presentations. Surrounded by glass wall partitions that promote transparency between laboratories and public areas, the atrium required a carefully balanced design approach to control reverberation and maintain speech clarity and occupant comfort.
Conference and meeting rooms were designed with acoustically rated ceilings and sound absorptive wall finishes to support focused collaboration. In fitness and active-use spaces, Acentech recommended resilient flooring systems to limit lateral and vertical vibration transmission from high-impact activities. Additional sound attenuation strategies were incorporated to ensure mechanical system noise remained unobtrusive across research, office, and public spaces.
Through thoughtful integration of acoustics, vibration control, and noise mitigation, Acentech helped support the building’s mission to create an open, collaborative environment that is both visually striking and acoustically comfortable—advancing Helix Park’s vision as a hub for innovation in health and life sciences.
