The University of Pennsylvania’s new $1.5 billion hospital, dubbed the Pavilion, is the largest capital project in Penn’s history. It will be Philadelphia’s most sophisticated healthcare building.
The Pavilion is being built on Penn Medicine’s West Philadelphia campus. It will create a new public square and focal point for the surrounding buildings to anchor the health system. Not only is the new hospital designed to deliver the best care to patients based on current standards, but it will also have the ability to quickly adapt to any advancements that occur over the next few decades.
About 500 new private patient rooms and 47 operating/interventional rooms are included in the 1.5 million-sf, 17-story facility. A network of public bridges and walkways will link the Pavilion to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the adjacent Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine. It will also be connected to the nearby train station.
The hospital is broken down into smaller neighborhoods meant to provide a sense of community. Patients and employees will have access to plentiful daylight and landscaped views. Each patient room also has the ability to be personalized by patients and visitors.
Some of the highlights of the Pavilion include:
— Long term flexibility incorporated into the design so patient rooms can be adapted and changed over time with minimal impact to the building fabric. All the private patient rooms are uniform so the right care can be brought to them, which makes the hospital design flexible both today and into the future.
— Future in-room technologies that will strengthen communication between patients, families, and care teams provide for educational programming, and enhance multi-nodal physician consultation are all anticipated for the patient rooms.
— An environmentally conscious design, construction and operational plan for the Pavilion fortifies Penn’s commitment to the environment. The design includes innovations like the re-use of water, 100 percent outside air, optimized access to daylight, outdoor green space for patients, families and staff, and ultimately a high performance building envelope and mechanical systems.
The Pavilion Build Team consists of healthcare design firm HDR, international architect Foster + Partners, engineering designer BR+A, construction management expert L.F. Driscoll and Balfour Beatty, and Penn Medicine’s clinical and facilities experts. The hospital is scheduled for completion in 2021.
Related Stories
| Feb 14, 2014
Crowdsourced Placemaking: How people will help shape architecture
The rise of mobile devices and social media, coupled with the use of advanced survey tools and interactive mapping apps, has created a powerful conduit through which Building Teams can capture real-time data on the public. For the first time, the masses can have a real say in how the built environment around them is formed—that is, if Building Teams are willing to listen.
| Feb 13, 2014
3 keys to designing freestanding emergency departments
Having physically disassociated from a central hospital, FEDs must overcome the particular challenges associated with a satellite location, namely a lack of awareness, appeal, and credibility. Gresham, Smith & Partners' Kristin Herman-Druc offers three keys to success.
| Jan 30, 2014
The evolving workplace: One designer's inspiration board
"Open office" has been a major buzzword for decades, and like any buzzword, some of the novelty has worn off. I don't believe we will abandon the open office, but I do think we need to focus on providing a dynamic mix of open and closed spaces.
| Jan 30, 2014
What's in store for healthcare capital markets in 2014?
Despite the shake up stemming from the Affordable Care Act, 2014 will be an active year in healthcare capital markets, according to real estate experts from CBRE Healthcare.
| Jan 28, 2014
16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]
The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.
| Jan 13, 2014
Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects
The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.
| Jan 11, 2014
Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]
When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings.
| Jan 9, 2014
Harley Ellis Devereaux, BFHL Architects announce merger
Effective January 1, 2014, Ralph Lotito and Brett Paloutzian have merged BFHL, comprising 15 healthcare architects, with Harley Ellis Devereaux. A national architecture and engineering firm in practice since 1908, Harley Ellis Devereaux has offices in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, CA.
Smart Buildings | Jan 7, 2014
9 mega redevelopments poised to transform the urban landscape
Slowed by the recession—and often by protracted negotiations—some big redevelopment plans are now moving ahead. Here’s a sampling of nine major mixed-use projects throughout the country.
| Dec 20, 2013
Top healthcare sector trends for 2014 (and beyond)
Despite the lack of clarity regarding many elements of healthcare reform, there are several core tenets that will likely continue to drive transition within the healthcare industry.
