SPONSORED
Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Health & Wellness Center
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
A Grab-and-Go Café’ is located within the lobby, serving all visitors.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
An integrated childcare center provides a staffed and engaging area for short-term needs.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
The elevated deck provides program space for stretching, small group exercise, and large social gatherings.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
Vertical sunshades control solar gain and help to reduce the visual mass of the façade.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
Landscaping, natural materials, scale, and lighting provide serenity for users of the exterior spaces.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
The lobby and information desk orient visitors towards the auditorium, café, fitness club, and clinics.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
The fitness center locker rooms provide a high-quality member experience.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
The pool incorporates natural light, scenic views, and architectural detail that increase interest during exercise.
© Plunkett Raysich Architects / Patrick Griffin
Generous glazing allow deep penetration of natural light and provide views during exercise.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
An exercise track envelopes the multi-purpose gymnasium for basketball, pickle ball, and other team sports.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
Fitness rooms include built-in benches that provide power, cord management, a place for personal items.
© Tricia Shay Photography 414-759-4798
Elevated decks help to control lower-level solar gain, while framing views into the landscape.
Following a nationwide search, Kishwaukee Hospital selected PRA to design a medically integrated Health & Wellness center. The project continued following the acquisition of Kishwaukee Hospital by Northwestern Medicine (NM).
This health and wellness center was created to provide a unique and personalized health experience for residents of Dekalb and Sycamore, IL, by combining clinic and fitness operations under one roof. Other major program elements include a 175-seat auditorium and a public Café.
The clinic includes exam, x-ray, and conference rooms to serve Orthopedics, Internal Medicine, and Population Health departments. In addition, space is provided for a future PT/OT clinic. The wellness center provides group exercise studios, indoor walking and jogging tracks, strength and cardio equipment, cycling studio, yoga studio, 25-yard lap-pool, warm-water therapy pool and a full-court gymnasium. Other amenities include full-service locker rooms, showers, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, and a childcare area.
The building takes advantage of the sloping site to provide a single story entry – reducing the scale of such a large facility. Main social spaces located on the top floor make use of generous, elevated decks (sized to host events) and help sub-divide the scale of the two-story portion. Vertical and horizontal sunshade devices, cladding variety, and window articulation help to reduce scale.
The 16-acre site features extensive landscaping, water features, a fountain, fitness grove, sensory garden, and walking paths that incorporate outdoor exercise stations. The site is open to the community, and the entire project helps to encourage continued pursuit of life-long health.
Project category: New construction
Chief administrator: Kevin Poorten, West Region president, Northwestern Medicine
Firm: Plunkett Raysich Architects, www.prarch.com
Design team: Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP (architecture and interior design); Affiliated Engineers Inc. (MEP and fire protection engineering); R.A. Smith Inc. (structural engineering); Innovative Aquatic Design (pool design); Missman Inc. (civil engineering); Upland Design Ltd. (landscape design)
Total building area (sq. ft.): 111,244
Construction cost/sq. ft.: $358
Total construction cost (excluding land): $39.8 million
Completed: November 2018
