Hoag Hospital Irvine, Sun Family Campus, Irvine, California
Located on the Sun Family Campus in Irvine, California, the Hoag Hospital Irvine Expansion aims to reimagine the modern healthcare facility as a pedestrian-friendly campus that balances multiple low-rise buildings with open space and healing gardens.
Scheduled to open by 2026, the project will be centered around a wellness village concept with specialty care centers for surgery, cancer, gastroenterology, emergency medicine and women’s services. Designed to differentiate itself in the healthcare market, the plan will include 155 inpatient beds, eight operating rooms and a 120,000-square-foot outpatient facility.
Images/Photos Courtesy: LPA Design Studios
Here, lead designer Franco Brown, principal and design director of LPA (Irvine, California), the project’s architecture and interior design firm, talks about rethinking the connection with nature and meeting patient expectations.
The project aims to challenge the traditional hospital model. How?
The idea was inspired by Hoag’s vision to create a world-class medical environment that is rooted in the neighborhood and community. Orange County and Irvine, California, are known for a planning approach that balances buildings with lush open spaces.
In this context, the concept of a small “wellness village” was born, made up of specialized facility buildings, each with an internal design shaped to suit its particular service line and with access to courtyards, patios and terraces, making use of nature to facilitate the healing process.
What steps did the project team take to realize that vision?
The design team worked directly with Hoag’s management to establish a set of principles to guide the decision-making process. To bring the Wellness Village concept to life, there were several challenges that had to be overcome. One of them was rethinking parking. The pedestrian experience was central, and parking was moved to the back of the site, using a valet and concierge model borrowed from the luxury hospitality industry.
Another challenge was the distribution and connection of services between the different buildings: the team implemented a network of underground service tunnels that separates the patient experience above ground from the technical aspects of the hospital below.
How does this project rethink the connection to nature on the hospital grounds?
With many regulatory constraints preventing key spaces within the hospital from directly connecting to the outside, we sought to understand what was possible. Some of the early design elements, such as the extensive use of water features in the healing gardens, proved extremely difficult to overcome.
Our focus was to bring nature closer to patients and caregivers through trees, plantings and natural light wherever possible. We managed to incorporate nature throughout the project in the form of landscaped terraces, decks, balconies and rest areas on the ground floor as well as the upper floors. We wanted nature to be a connecting element and accessible.
everyone.
Why was it important to incorporate “high touch” material here?
Highly human experiences and compassionate care have been priorities for Hoag from the beginning. Providing opportunities for relaxation and respite during the stressful moments faced by both patients and caregivers was essential. We achieved this by providing spaces that stimulate basic senses like the rustling of leaves, the smell of earth after rain, and warm sunlight on the skin.
Some of these qualities can be found in the architecture and interiors, such as the use of natural materials and biophilic patterns, the tactile travertine stone, the wood-grain paneling, and the soft, diffused natural light. These are materials and sensations that are intuitively familiar to us and, unlike when we’re inside an MRI machine, have lived on in our collective memory for centuries.
What design strategies and materials will be used to achieve this goal?
The strategy was simple: place “high-touch” moments, spaces, and functions – for patients, families, and caregivers – never too far from “high-tech” moments.
Whatever floor, there is always somewhere nearby to rest. For example, being able to see outside and be aware of the changing light conditions throughout the day is important for caregivers. Respite areas where they can rest and social spaces where they can interact also contribute greatly to a caregiver’s sense of well-being.
How will changing patient expectations continue to impact the industry?
We are seeing healthcare providers leverage patient experience as a differentiator. Patients expect experiences that are low friction, in control, enjoyable and memorable. The physical environment plays a key role in shaping these outcomes.
What design trends are you watching to improve the patient experience?
For decades, the healthcare industry has been driven by regulations, outcomes and established protocols. In recent years, architects, designers and healthcare planners have been “rediscovered” as difference makers when it comes to patient experience.
There is a lot to learn from other industries. We expect the lines to blur and industries such as hospitality, recreation, culinary, fitness and wellness to positively impact healthcare. As patient expectations and empowerment increase, the ability to shape patient experiences and outcomes will attract creative minds to innovate.
Anne DiNardo is editor-in-chief of Healthcare Design magazine and can be contacted at anne.dinardo@emeraldx.com.
