Hospital's new image reflects the city and state in which it's located.
When HKS, Inc. in Dallas, TX, was hired as the architect of record for All Saints Episcopal Hospital in neighboring Fort Worth, the designers were handed a two-part mission. First, create a new image for the facility and secondly, give it that "Fort Worth flair."
According to d. Christian Cassidy, an associate at HKS and senior project designer, Fort Worth's flair is hard to pinpoint. At one end of the city's spectrum are its well-known arts, which include the Fort Worth Ballet, the Symphony and the nationally recognized Kimbell Art Museum. At the opposite end of the spectrum is what makes Fort Worth known as a cowtown, with its stockyards and rodeo. Blending these two characteristics of the city's personality in one building was accomplished using subtle references within strong architecture.
"Fort Worth is strong and stately, but it is not ostentatious," says Cassidy. "We wanted to show that in the hospital's interior architecture. We also tried to link Fort Worth's past to its future as a way of lending a timeless feel to the building."
The image created for the hospital revolves around the new four-story atrium. And the hospital's main path of circulation now revolves around this atrium as well, which acts as the nucleus of the hospital, connecting the existing facilities to the new. An open railing system along the top three floors permits visual and audible access to the atrium from the various waiting areas that branch off into the hospital's different departments. The railing system's design recalls that of the arched bridges in and around Fort Worth. This is one example of how HKS took the local vernacular and abstracted it for design purposes.
The atrium narrows as it rises to a domed ceiling that is capped with an oculus. Fiber optics set within the dome mimic the constellations. On the floor of the atrium is an eight-point star, which the designers abstracted from the five-point star of Texas. Four of the star's eight points are longer to indicate the directions north, south, east and west.
Circular forms throughout the atrium and lobby are welcoming and promote movement. Wiring and cabling laid underneath the carpet at the rear of this waiting area permit the flexible rearrangement of the office space in the future if necessary.
The star is repeated and given other uses throughout the hospital. Along corridors, stars on the floor indicate key decision-making points. The hospital's donor wall of honor is made up of stars upon which the names of supporters are listed. Outside the building in the garden courtyard, the three-sided pillars that recognize hospital employees' contributions are topped with intersecting stars.
Image Update
Included in the new construction are the atrium and lobby, surgery and out-patient surgery, intensive care, a women's center, the emergency room, central sterile facility, community education and patient assessment rooms, the gift shop and a non-denominational chapel. Renovated areas within the existing space include the executive board room, cardiovascular recovery unit, critical care and radiology. All together the hospital now encompasses some 300,000 square feet.
The star set within the floor of the atrium, which is abstracted from the star of Texas, is repeated on the donor wall.
In the center of the atrium, the star and circular surrounding is laid with terrazzo. Outside of this area and extending into parts of the lobby, HKS designers wanted the look and feel of Texas limestone, but realized that the area's heavy traffic required something stronger. Therefore, says Cassidy, they chose a man-made material that closely resembles the look of limestone, but is much harder.
The information and registration areas of the lobby were designed for flexibility in case of future change. According to Cassidy, a tracking system with electrical and data needs were laid underneath the carpet here. Then, for example, if the configuration of the registration area with its glass enclosed office spaces should need to be altered, wiring and cabling is already in place.
In the garden courtyard, the pillars that recognize employees' contributions also are topped with intersecting stars.
Throughout the atrium and lobby, circular forms are found on the stone and carpeted floors, within ceiling soffits, at the registration and information desks and along chair backs, columns and even light fixtures. Together, these forms create a more welcoming environment and promote movement.
To create a sense of balance and contrast throughout the new construction, warm and cool colors were used.
"The architectural envelope is neutral, but not boring," explains Cassidy. "Warm and cool shades of gray combine with natural cherry and maple woods to create a relaxing environment. Stronger colors were used on materials that wear out, such as fabric and carpet, so that a new look using new colors could be created relatively inexpensively."
Perhaps the most notable connection between the hospital's design and Fort Worth are the seven commissioned paintings that depict the city's calling cards. Each painting illustrates a location or aspect of the city. Examples include the Kimball, Fort Worth's water garden and botanical garden, the ballet and other historical sites.
Physical Fitness Next Door
Also new to the hospital campus is the Carter Rehabilitation Center. Here, patients come for physical therapy and the general public can join to use the center's many fitness facilities.
In the Carter Rehabilitation Center, bold colors, geometric shapes and bright lighting create an energetic environment for patients and members.
The director of the center wanted people to feel energized by the space. In the lobby, the carpeted floor has bright colors set in large geometric shapes on a black and white checkerboard background. Fluorescent lighting mirrors the shapes on the floor.
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