Maybe buffalo didn't roam there, but horses and cattle did for a hundred years. And through that time ranchers and their families gathered around a sprouting oak tree to tell stories and enjoy respite from the Texas heat. In August 2008 something new was added: a...
Healthcare facilities today face significant challenges when it comes to implementing environmentally sustainable building design. Because hospitals are 24/7 operations, it's often difficult to operate an energy-efficient hospital, while adhering to strict code requirements. Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach, one of four hospitals that make up the Southern California MemorialCare Health System, is one example of a hospital that has found innovative ways to become “greener” in the design and construction of their new inpatient pavilion.
Today, we can find many inpatient room mock-ups that sparkle like a sports car rolling off a dealer's lot. Undoubtedly, these mock-ups communicate a project milestone that translates into a fantastic marketing opportunity: The end users, owners, and designers have...
I recently had the pleasure of moderating a Vendome HEALTHCARE DESIGN Webinar entitled How the ICONS Have Fared: Mega-Hospitals with Major Dreams. The presentation by Donald McKahan, AIA, FACHA; D. Kirk Hamilton, FAIA, FACHA; and Francis Murdock Pitts, AIA, FACHA,...
It is no overstatement to say that digital animation has transformed the movie-going experience. The recently released Avatar is breaking new ground in this direction, but scarcely a year goes by without at least three or four blockbusters showing, aimed primarily at...
Self-returning swivel seats Clarin's new Self-Returning Swivel Seat is a swing arm seating system, fully customizable to meet seating needs. When not in use the seat swivels back to the return position. The self-returning swivel seats are suitable for nurse alcove...
The first healthcare facilities The original facilities for the sick were most likely temples dedicated to “healing gods.” Imhotep was the Egyptian healing god, while Asclepius was revered in the Greek civilization. Prayers, sacrifices, and dream interpretations...
Whether in a new-build or retrofit facility, best practice implementation for a healthcare imaging suite involves more than incorporating the latest designs in aesthetics and patient comfort. To ensure maximum utilization and optimal performance of the radiology unit,...
In 2008, two industry leaders presented a state-of-the-art modular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facility concept to the marketplace (featured in the April 2008 issue of Healthcare Design). Today that vision is being realized with the installation of several...
When people refer to their “healthcare experience,” they typically (and correctly) note their experiences in the examination, treatment, and recovery rooms as well as interactions with the caregivers and support staff. However, it is common knowledge that a sizable...
Water infiltration in a hospital is just bad news all around—unsanitary, mold-producing, patient-disrupting, and staff-annoying. However, today I am writing in defense of roofs, almost always blamed for any leak but not always the culprit! In both the design phase reviews and the actual construction, we need to keep our eye on foundation details, exterior wall details, window assemblies, door assemblies, and building joints in addition to the roofing. All of these can and do play a role in preventing water infiltration.
