Promoting peace and healing

Credit Photos courtesy of Ballinger/Studio AMD

The design of Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital’s expansion is inspired by the Mediterranean heritage of the hospital’s original building. 

Upon its completion in 2020, the 250,000-square-foot hospital will comprise a new main entrance, an 18-room procedural platform, an emergency department, parking garage and new bed tower. The expansion will be the institution’s largest construction project to date, and is intended to propel Chester County Hospital into the vanguard of 21st-century health care.

Following a planning process that incorporated evidence-based design and engaged hospital stakeholders with 3D models and full-scale mock-ups, the project architect developed an experience for patients and staff that promotes tranquility and healing.

New glass elements and courtyards complement the white stucco and tile roofs of the existing campus. They enable intuitive wayfinding while providing access to daylight and nature. A ground-floor courtyard serves as a verdant extension of the lobby, with seating beneath a canopy of ginkgo trees. The project has been designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, and includes an expansive green roof atop the procedural platform.

WANT TO BE FEATURED? To learn about participating in ASHE’s Architecture for Health Showcase, visit www.archshowcase.org.