Baptist Health Care’s new $650 million healthcare complex opened recently in Pensacola, Fla. Featuring a 10-story, 268-bed hospital, the project “represents the single-largest investment in the healthcare history of northwest Florida,” said Gresham Smith project executive Robert “Skip” Yauger, AIA, LEED AP.
The 602,000-sf Baptist Hospital is equipped with a Level II trauma center that provides 61 exam rooms and three triage areas. Other services include critical care areas, a mother-baby unit, surgery department with 25 procedure and operating rooms, specialty cardiac care treatment and procedure rooms. The building was designed with extra space for future expansion.
The project includes a six-story, 178-000 sf medical services building, the Bear Family Foundation Health Center. This facility houses multi-specialty services including oncology, women’s health, outpatient imaging, bariatrics, and cardiology. It also includes a conference center that will be used for public events, health education, and community outreach. A separate facility, a 72-bed behavioral health unit brings much needed behavioral health services to the community.
“This project to replace our 73-year-old legacy campus with a more modern, technologically advanced and accessible location was a generational opportunity for us,” says Baptist Health Care president and CEO Mark Faulkner. “This campus will raise the bar for health care experiences, safety, quality, and efficiency for generations to come.”
The 57-acre campus is organized around a park-like town square featuring groves of heritage oak trees. Amenities include walking paths, respite areas, and outdoor event spaces. The exterior of each building pays homage to the historical character of Pensacola’s local buildings and celebrates the natural surroundings of the beach community. Warm terracotta and shades of sandy white contrast to mark building entrances. Large spans of glass flood the interior with natural light.
The buildings were designed to be resilient to hurricanes. Durable materials, including precast concrete panels and impact glazing that surpass code minimum, and a hardened building structure and envelope, will withstand hurricane force winds and rain. Redundant electrical supplies and potable water systems will enable the hospital to operate off-grid during an emergency.
The interior of each building takes cues from the exterior design, using handcrafted materials, such as wood, bronze, and terrazzo, to create a warm, welcoming environment. Drawing inspiration from the oaks in the town square, large scale light fixtures reference sunlight streaming through Spanish moss. Planters and full-height windows bring the outdoors inside.
To aid with wayfinding, every patient destination on the first floor is accessible from the primary public concourse, while staff and materials circulation is separated in a secondary circulation system. Reminiscent of light reflecting over the ocean at sunrise or sunset, the color palette shifts colors at each level of the building. Transparent and translucent glass reduce patient anxiety at clinical entries, which are denoted by accent lighting, wood ceiling treatments and large-scale graphics. Lightwells bring daylight deep into the building’s core.
Owner: Baptist Health Care
Architect, MEP engineer, structural engineer: Gresham Smith
General contractor/construction manager: Brasfield & Gorrie
![New $650 million Baptist Health Care complex opens in Pensacola](/sites/default/files/inline-images/BaptistHealthPensacola_004%206%20%281%29.jpg)
![New $650 million Baptist Health Care complex opens in Pensacola](/sites/default/files/inline-images/BaptistHealthPensacola_003%206.jpg)
![New $650 million Baptist Health Care complex opens in Pensacola](/sites/default/files/inline-images/BaptistHealthPensacola_001%206.jpg)
![New $650 million Baptist Health Care complex opens in Pensacola](/sites/default/files/inline-images/BaptistHealthPensacola_006%206.jpg)
![New $650 million Baptist Health Care complex opens in Pensacola](/sites/default/files/inline-images/BaptistHealthPensacola_005%206.jpg)
![New $650 million Baptist Health Care complex opens in Pensacola](/sites/default/files/inline-images/BaptistHealthPensacola_004%206.jpg)
Related Stories
Projects | Mar 15, 2022
Old Sears store will become one of the largest orthopaedics outpatient facilities in the Northeast
A former Sears store in Rochester, N.Y., will be transformed into one of the largest orthopaedics outpatient facilities in the Northeast.
Projects | Mar 10, 2022
Optometrist office takes new approach to ‘doc-in-a-box’ design
In recent decades, franchises have taken over the optometry services and optical sales market. This trend has spawned a commodity-type approach to design of office and retail sales space.
Industry Research | Mar 2, 2022
31 percent of telehealth visits result in a physical office visit
With little choice but to adopt virtual care options due to pandemic restrictions and interactions, telehealth adoption soared as patients sought convenience and more efficient care options.
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 15, 2022
New outpatient ophthalmology surgical center opens in Newington, N.H.
JSA Design designed the project.
Resiliency | Feb 15, 2022
Design strategies for resilient buildings
LEO A DALY's National Director of Engineering Kim Cowman takes a building-level look at resilient design.
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 10, 2022
Respite for the weary healthcare worker
The pandemic has shined a light on the severe occupational stress facing healthcare workers. Creating restorative hospital environments can ease their feelings of anxiety and burnout while improving their ability to care for patients.
Coronavirus | Jan 20, 2022
Advances and challenges in improving indoor air quality in commercial buildings
Michael Dreidger, CEO of IAQ tech startup Airsset speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield about how building owners and property managers can improve their buildings' air quality.
Healthcare Facilities | Jan 7, 2022
Supporting hope and healing
Five research-driven design strategies for pediatric behavioral health environments.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 20, 2021
Stantec will design the new Queensway Health Centre
The project is located in Toronto.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 16, 2021
Leo A Daly designs mental health clinic for veterans in Tampa
The new facility will consolidate all mental health services the VA offers into one clinic.