Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa wanted more than a new emergency center for the Mason City community. They wanted to create a positive healing environment, efficient seamless patient flow, and an experience with more privacy for their growing patient population.
That is why Mercy Medical Center formed a design team to use Lean methodologies in planning and designing its new Emergency Department (ED). The Lean concept is both a philosophy and management system that is built on the Toyota Production System and creates value by eliminating inefficiencies and waste. Flad Architects was selected as the architect and designer for the new ED, supported by Mason City-based Bergland and Cram Architects. Henkel Construction was the construction manager for the project.
The end result is a 25,493-sf emergency department built with family-centered care and patient privacy in mind. The department features a "racetrack" design with a central nurses' station encircled by 19 private patient examination rooms and 2 trauma treatment rooms. The open center-core design, which is flooded with natural light from above, allows for visibility into patient rooms while still maintaining an appropriate amount of privacy. The space also houses family consultation rooms and CT, X-Ray, and ultrasound rooms.
Exams rooms were designed using a universal concept for adaptability and safety. Clinical and public spaces were planned for maximum flexibility to allow staff to easily adapt to positive operational and cultural changes that are anticipated as a result of the Lean process.
The interior environment for the new ED focuses on providing a safe, supportive, and warm atmosphere through providing access to natural daylight, indirect lighting, soft curvilinear forms in the ceiling and floor patterns, and natural images portrayed in glass. The use of natural elements is designed to lower stress and anxiety for both patients and staff. BD+C
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Gensler, HOK, HDR among the nation's leading reconstruction design firms, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 100 Reconstruction Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Gensler, Arup, HOK among the largest office sector design firms
A ranking of the Top 100 Office Design firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Callison strengthens retail design presence with RYA acquisition
Callison LLC on June 1 acquired RYA Design Consultancy, a Dallas-based retail architecture and design firm with offices in New York City. The new “Callison RYA Studio” will merge staff and clients into Callison ’s existing retail practice at their Dallas and New York offices.
| Aug 11, 2010
Prism-shaped design unveiled for five-star hotel in Saudi Arabia
Goettsch Partners has been commissioned by Saudi Oger Ltd. to design a new five-star, 214-key business hotel in the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As a design-build assignment, Saudi Oger is serving as the contractor, selected by developer Rayadah Investment Company. The project is sited on Parcel 1.08, one of the first 10 parcels currently under development in the massive new master-planned district.
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction Specifications Institute to end support of MasterFormat 95 on December 31, 2009
The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) announced that the organization will cease to license and support MasterFormat 95 as of December 31, 2009. The CSI Board of Directors voted to stop licensing and supporting MasterFormat 95 during its June 16, 2009, meeting at the CSI Annual Convention in Indianapolis.
| Aug 11, 2010
Gensler among eight teams named finalists in 'classroom of the future' design competition
Eight teams were recognized today as finalists of the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom. Finalists submitted designs ranging from an outdoor classroom for children in inner-city Chicago, learning spaces for the children of salt pan workers in India, safe spaces for youth in Bogota, Colombia and a bamboo classroom in the Himalayan mountains.
| Aug 11, 2010
F&S Partners merges with SmithGroup
F&S Partners, a Dallas architecture firm specializing in the design of educational, recreational, and religious projects, has merged with SmithGroup, a top 10 U.S. architecture/engineering firm. The 40-person office in Dallas will carry the name SmithGroup/F&S.
