Clean bill of health: Cincinnati’s new hospital is designed to enhance wellbeing
The patients' well-being is all healthcare institutions' number one priority, so when Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP secured the commission to design the new Christ Hospital's Joint and Spine Center located in Cincinnati, Ohio, they envisioned a complex that creates a warm and comforting atmosphere, while still adhering to strict clinical and medical requirements.
SOM kick-started the design process by interviewing staff and patients to discover their various needs, in order to prioritise comfortable, integrated care. Their research concluded that the best way to structure the environment is to give careful consideration to the way patients, families and medical professionals interact on site.
'The entire design and construction team worked very closely with the hospital’s leadership, staff and users to create a place that facilitates and inspires well-being,' says SOM design partner Brian Lee.
The new building boasts the most advanced form of integrated care, tailored to each individual patient and their needs. 'The opening of the Joint and Spine Center allows us to transform the way care is delivered,' says Mike Keating, president and CEO of The Christ Hospital Health Network.
The unit’s private rooms feature floor-to-ceiling frosted and clear glass, which can be easily managed by the patient via designated electronic remote controls. The layout of the hi-tech ward rooms follow a clear and defined geometry. Facilities, such as support and utility spaces, are decentralised. This creates a rare sense of openness in the layout and enhances connectivity between the different wards of the hospital.
Recreational facilities for staff and patients include a new roof garden that holds stunning views of the surrounding city and a landscaped courtyard positioned between the complex's old and new structures.
Materials were chosen for their warmth and sustainable qualities, aiming for a tranquil and therapeutic environment. The building's structural frame is made of steel, while the architects used ‘prefabricated bathroom modules and MEP infrastructure to achieve a high-quality, cost-effective construction.’
INFORMATION
For more information on SOM visit the website
Photography: Tom Rossiter
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
-
Bar Spero, in Washington DC, nods to the playful nature of Spanish cuisine
Bar Spero is a Spanish seafood bar and grill designed by Streetsense and led by chef Johnny Spero
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Colourful card game wins Design Museum’s Design Ventura competition
Annual design competition Design Ventura was won by students from The Piggott School, who created a fun I Spy-inspired card game
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Tour a Chilean pavilion perched on the coast: a sanctuary for sleep and star-gazing
Algarrobo-based architecture studio Whale! has designed a Chilean pavilion for rest and relaxation, overlooking a nature reserve on the Pacific coast
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Shigeru Ban’s mini Paper Log House welcomed at The Glass House
'Shigeru Ban: The Paper Log House' is shown at The Glass House in New Canaan, USA as the house museum of American architect Philip Johnson plays host to the Japanese architect’s model temporary home concept
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
Ray Phoenix to rise in Arizona
Ray Phoenix housing project launches, designed by Johnston Marklee, who worked with Lamar Johnson Collaborative, for property experts Ray and Vela
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A low-energy farmhouse provides a rural escape in North Carolina
This low-energy farmhouse is a net zero architectural re-set for a Californian client, an East Coast relocation for a more engaged and low-key lifestyle
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A Petra Island house rises from Frank Lloyd Wright's original drawings
Based on Frank Lloyd Wright drawings, the cantilevering Petra Island Massaro House, located in New York’s Hudson Valley, is now open to visitors
By Craig Kellogg Published
-
An Upper West Side apartment by General Assembly nods to its history
An Upper West Side apartment in New York, born out of the reimagining of two neighbouring units, is refreshed by General Assembly for a young family
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
New York's Leica store echoes the brand's blend of heritage and innovation
Leica store throws open its doors in New York's Meatpacking District, courtesy of Brooklyn based Format Architecture Office
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
Hudson Valley Residence is a low-lying retreat that seamlessly blends into the horizon
Designed by HGX Design, Hudson Valley Residence is a scenic home offering unobstructed views across the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Boise Passive House’s bold gestures support an environmentally friendly design
Boise Passive House by Haas Architecture combines sleek, contemporary design and environmental efficiency
By Ellie Stathaki Published