Project Description
This new 140-bed patient tower uses evidence-based design and community-inspired design to create a healing facility focused on supporting Lakeland Healthcare goals. Through in-depth exploration of the facility, its operations, user satisfaction and research – 77 evidence-based design metrics were applied to determine scope, site, patient room and patient unit configuration.
Using a collaborative approach with the community, the client and the multidisciplinary design team – a full-scale mock patient room was created and toured by over 2,000 people for testing and refinement prior to construction. Patient rooms are positioned in a pinwheel layout to maximize vistas of the surrounding Lake Michigan landscape.
In the nursing unit, larger family spaces, access to natural light, noise, travel distances and staff/public circulation were addressed with regards to the metrics previously studied. Measurable improvements were later documented in post-occupancy studies, including: reduced walking distance from nurse station to patient room by 255%, patient transfers reduced by 57%, and 4% increase in satisfaction with patient rooms.
A committee of community members inspired the design, which includes subtle interpretations of a nautical theme popular in this Lake Michigan city.