Case Study: Hospital Design Centers on Patient Healing

Creating uplifting atmosphere was central to inpatient pavilion at Vassar Brothers Medical Center

By Dan Hounsell


At the Vassar Brothers Medical Center (VBMC) in Poughkeepsie, New York, CallisonRTKL focused on designing an environment centered around patient healing, ensuring that the quality of the patient space matched the quality of care. The design team put in the time to understand necessary patient processes and flow, nursing patterns, and the best way to leverage technology in the delivery of care as well as in the design. The overall aesthetic of the center is reminiscent of a hospitality space, more than a medical facility, with a goal of patient satisfaction above everything else. To that end, the team integrated impactful colors and shapes, as well as a creative use of light to create an uplifting atmosphere.  

CallisonRTKL designed the new inpatient pavilion with a focus on the environment and sustainability. With this in mind, the design is committed to energy and water efficiency prerequisites, incorporating several measures throughout with the goal of reduced building usage, including solar shading on the west facing façade, stormwater management, reduction in surface parking, vegetated roofs, accessible outdoor space, and a 20 percent water reduction use target. This focus on sustainability measures furthered the facility’s goal of being able to serve the community and offer world-class care in the long term.

The VBMC is bringing a new level of design to the Poughkeepsie community, creating an important destination of care for this depressed area of the Hudson Valley. Implementing a philosophy of evidence-based design, the team studied the social, economic, and environmental factors impacting the surrounding area in order to design a long-lasting, efficient facility that will be able to serve the community for years to come, and that would be able to effectively address both current and future needs.



April 21, 2021


Topic Area: Interior Design


Recent Posts

The Future of Backup Power Systems in Healthcare Facilities

Manufacturers discuss what trends are shaping the future of backup power systems in healthcare.


Infection Control is Key to Ongoing Measles Outbreak

Infection control is essential to protecting both patients and staff from contracting measles.


Kaiser Permanente to Open New Parker Medical Offices

It also announced it's in the early stages of planning a rebuild and expansion of its Westminster Medical Offices.


Skanska Completes Renovation for New Sutter Health Care Center

The new facility will provide internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, as well as lab and imaging services.


Probiotic Cleaners: The Start of a Cleaning Revolution?

Advantages of probiotic cleaning include fewer resistant genes and cost savings through decreased antibiotic use.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.