Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Tacoma, Washington
For more than 30 years, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital shared space and resources with Tacoma General Hospital in Tacoma, Wash. Owner MultiCare Health System (Tacoma) recognized the need for a dedicated, kid-centric environment—one that would meet growing demand for children’s specialty care and serve as a comprehensive referral center for complex cases in the region.
The children’s hospital set out in 2018 to establish its own freestanding facility, tapping ESa (Nashville, Tenn.) as architect and interior designer. The project team developed a plan for an efficient, team-based care setting with interiors inspired by Pacific Northwest landscapes, such as forest, river, and alpine scenes.
Clinical planning for pediatric patients
Opened in May, the 6-story, 262,114-square-foot hospital realizes the team’s vision of expanding access to acute and specialty care for children. The hospital’s clinical planning concentrates pediatric specialties—including orthopedics, neurology, rheumatology, heart care, and mental and behavioral health—within a single city block to reduce the need for frequent visits, which can put unnecessary strain on families.
Key program elements include 82 licensed inpatient beds, a 29-exam-room emergency department, four behavioral health reduced-risk rooms, eight operating rooms, and an all-in-one hybrid catheterization/interventional radiology suite. Amenities at the new hospital feature three play and activity rooms, an outdoor garden, and the hospital’s first therapy gym.
Wayfinding strategies for healthcare
Color, graphics, daylight, organic curves, and playful discovery moments support wayfinding, comfort, and healing. For example, each floor is organized around a Pacific Northwest landscape theme, using immersive graphics and local artwork. The elements are designed to help families navigate the hospital while giving children moments of discovery and positive distraction along the way.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital project details
Location: Tacoma, Wash.
Completion date: May 2026
Owner: MultiCare Health System
Total building area: 250,000 sq. ft.
Total construction cost: Not disclosed
Cost/sq. ft.: Not disclosed
Architect: ESa
Interior designer: ESa
General contractor: Layton / Abbott Construction
Structural engineer: Structural Design Group
Civil engineer/landscape architect: AHBL
Building systems: WSP Inc.
Art consultant: Nine dot Arts
Medical equipment planner: Hoefer Welker
Program manager: Turner & Townsend
Signage/wayfinding: Corbin Design (product: Apco)
Art/pictures: Nine dot Arts
Carpet/flooring: Gio Tile, Mannington, Roppe, Ecore, Corradini Corp. Terrazzo, Stonhard, Interface
Ceiling/wall systems: USG Ceilings, Armstrong Ceilings
Fabric/textiles: Bainbridge
Furniture—seating/casegoods: Bainbridge, Workpointe
Handrails/wall guards: Inpro Corp.; Washington Commercial Painters, Coast2Coast Signs
Booms: Allegion
Surfaces—solid/other: Wilsonart, Nevamar, Hi-Macs, Corian, Clarus
Wallcoverings: Momentum, Washington Commercial Painters, Coast2Coast Signs
Wall tile: Platform Surfaces, Tile Bar, Luanda Bay, Sonoma Tilemakers, Artaic Mosaic, Garden State
Paint: Sherwin-Williams, Scuffmaster
Project details are provided by the design team and not vetted by Healthcare Design.
