In Duluth, Minn., the new St. Mary’s Medical Center, designed by EwingCole, is now the largest healthcare facility in the region. The hospital consolidates Essentia Health’s healthcare services under one roof.
At about 1 million sf spanning two city blocks, St. Mary’s overlooks Lake Superior, providing views on almost every floor of the world’s largest freshwater lake. All of the hospital’s inpatient rooms enjoy floor-to-ceiling views of the lake or the surrounding hillside. The dining commons and rooftop garden also offer views of Lake Superior.
While the exterior façade’s lower levels resemble the brownstone homes and businesses in downtown Duluth, the glass façade of the upper levels and patient tower evokes the neighboring lake. The building’s fritted glass also reduces solar heat gain inside.
The hospital’s interior aims to eschew traditional clinical design by embracing vibrant colors and nature to aid the healing process. Each floor’s interior design takes inspiration from a natural landscape in Duluth.
The design team constructed and tested a full-scale mockup of the building envelope to detect any air or moisture infiltration that could affect energy performance and indoor air quality. As a result, the team achieved a 24% reduction in energy consumption and a 26% reduction in energy costs.
As part of the project’s sustainability measures, almost 1 million sf of the building’s acoustic ceiling panels were manufactured about a half-hour away, reducing travel time and greenhouse gas emissions. EwingCole also selected a nearby single-source manufacturer of the custom glazing system, decreasing transportation emissions. And the team reduced the building’s embodied carbon by replacing Portland cement with cement substitutes.
The hospital’s narrow, aerodynamic form eliminates wind turbulence around the entrances and rest areas, minimizes its impact on views to and from the lake, and limits its impact on bird migration. In addition, the design team’s early wind modeling enabled it to refine the structural system so that it required less steel.
On the Building Team:
Owner: Essentia Health
Design architect: EwingCole
Architect of record: EwingCole and LHB
MEP and structural engineer: EwingCole
General contractor: McGough
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%206.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%2011.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%205.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%20100.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%204.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%209.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%203.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%2067.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%202.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region%207.jpeg)
![](/sites/default/files/inline-images/In%20Duluth%2C%20Minn.%2C%20the%20new%C2%A0St.%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Medical%20Center%2C%20designed%20by%20EwingCole%2C%C2%A0is%20now%20the%20largest%20healthcare%20facility%20in%20the%20region.jpeg)
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 6, 2017
Design isn’t enough to foster collaboration in healthcare and research spaces
A new Perkins Eastman white paper finds limited employee interaction at NYU Winthrop Hospital, a year after it opened.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 25, 2017
Creating child-friendly healthcare spaces: Five goals for success
Children often accompany parents or grandparents in medical settings; what can we do to address their unique needs?
Greenbuild Report | Oct 23, 2017
NZE and carbon neutral
An Army hospital in the Mojave Desert sets a new bar for sustainable design.
Designers | Oct 10, 2017
Merging artwork and building design
With many hospital projects, art can be a construction-phase afterthought.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 5, 2017
Architectural best practices for behavioral health: A case study at VCBR
Confined treatment centers for civilly-committed individuals.
Healthcare Facilities | Sep 29, 2017
Having a vision
The ability to clearly communicate specific priorities to your team is among the most important tasks the owner’s leadership team will perform.
Healthcare Facilities | Sep 21, 2017
Boat dealership becomes Tempe’s newest health clinic
The new space was designed with community input to be used by patients and non-patients alike.
Healthcare Facilities | Sep 19, 2017
Small UCHealth hospital in Longmont, Colo., designed with ability to grow over time
UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital opened for first patient on August 31.
Laboratories | Sep 12, 2017
New York City is positioning itself as a life sciences hub
A new Transwestern report highlights favorable market and regulatory changes.
Healthcare Facilities | Sep 5, 2017
Home away from home: Children’s hospitals that soothe, support, and distract
Building Teams help children’s hospitals create a sense of normalcy for patients and their families.