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The Children's HospitalThe Children's Hospital
Whimsical art and carefully selected colors creates a hospital refuge for young patients.
When The Children’s Hospital set out to design and build its new 1.44 million-square-foot facility, the mission was straightforward: to create a family-centered care center where children could heal, and to include the latest advances in medical-facility design. When patients enter the hospital, they and their family, and friends, are welcomed into an environment that is, colorful, nurturing, and comfortable.
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The heart of the building—the four-story Boettcher Atrium—captures the whimsy and spirit of the hospital via a terrazzo floor that incorporates butterflies, snowflakes, fish, and a variety of familiar shapes. The hospital’s art program, a critical component of its healing environment, extends to the walls, where glass panels feature a variety of images like snowflakes that, upon closer inspection, are composed of animals, skaters, and baseball players. Additionally, images of rustic Indian paintbrush, rocks with lichen, and colorful aspen leaves brighten vinyl tiles in the cafeteria. Trees dusted with fresh snow, mountain meadow scenes, and aspen trees are etched into glass partitions throughout the hospital.
The color palette is also of note, consisting of various shades of green, violet, yellow, blue, and turquoise, all of which were selected for their healing qualities and applied based on the activities performed in a space. Brighter palettes were utilized in areas like the atrium, cafeteria, and clinic areas, while a more subdued palette was applied in the chapel, intensive care, and respite areas. Natural light was maximized throughout the facility.
The patient rooms were designed to host just one child, and in the spirit of family-centered care, each room has sleeping accommodations for family members, plus adequate storage, a desk, and data ports, so families can comfortably stay with children. Separate family suites have also been included in the facility.
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is softly lit and quiet, reflecting the latest medical research that demonstrates low light levels and a quiet atmosphere with privacy improve infants’ wellbeing. For teenage patients, a 3,000 square-foot “hot spot” just for teens features a movie theater, pool table, basketball arcade, and a music/reading room. Additional play spaces for children are located throughout the hospital.
Multiple amenities are also provided for hospital staff, including lounges, staff showers, exercise facilities, inside bicycle storage, and a staff-only terrace.
Formal name of project: The Children's Hospital
Location: Denver, Colorado
Gross square footage: $1.44 million sq.ft.
Total construction cost: $425 million
Completion Date: October 2007
Owner:
The Children’s Hospital
Design Architect:
Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects
320 SW Oak Street
Suite 500
Portland, Oregon 97205
P: 503.224.3860
F: 503.224.2482
www.zgf.com
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