NEW HANOVER REGIONAL ICU RENO PROJECT STORY

NEW HANOVER REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

ICU RENOVATIONS

NEW HANOVER REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

ICU RENOVATION The project encompasses a phased renovation of the New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s STICU, CCU, and MICU. The Hospital maintained continuous operation while the 40-bed ICU and associated support spaces were under construction. A pre-design planning session with the Hospital resulted in the basic layout of support spaces which includes: • Establishing a use of space hierarchy determining which areas should be specific to each unit, which areas can be shared between two units, and which can be shared between all units.

• Minimizing distance traveled for staff to and from support areas.

• Reconfiguring nurses stations that integrate all equipment currently parked in the corridors into the casework.

KEY DETAILS & FEATURES

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Located in Wilmington, NC 25,427 SF Completion December 2019 New waiting area Support Spaces

• Intensive Care Unit within a hospital including Surgical, Cardiovascular and Medical Care Unit • Improve flow without increasing building area

New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) values communication, teamwork, ownership, and compassion to lead the community to better health. Wayfinding and identity create a collaborative environment between the three ICUs through the connective flooring, canopies, and organic atmosphere.

Fort Fisher’s inspired ICU creates a collaborative and healing environment through the boardwalk corridor and canopy nurses stations.

Located along the coast of North Carolina, NHRMC’s design was inspired by Fort Fisher, a prominent historical site characterized by its calming boardwalks and windswept organic trees. These local windswept trees have been shaped by years of exposure to salt, sand, and wind. This protective barrier that the tree trunks and their slanted canopies generate have inspired the brightly colored soffits that convey a sense of arrival as well as define a comforting, safe and protected destination where healing happens. The calming boardwalk of Fort Fisher gives scenic views of the windswept trees, ocean, marshlands, and historical site which inspired the floor pattern that intuitively guides staff, visitors, and patients from one nurses station to the next.

ABOVE | Early Renderings of the space show how the regional landscape inspired the design.

AFTER

BEFORE

Each nurses station is connected by a patterned boardwalk pathway. This pathway allows for staff to easily access each ICU quickly and effectively.

The original ICU was dimly lit, had no visual identity for the nurses stations, and people could easily become lost within the space.

Transforming a dark and crowded atmosphere to a bright and calming nature-inspired environment.

NHRMC opened its doors in 1967 in Wilmington, NC with the mission that they are “dedicated to providing you with high quality care and excellent experience.� The newly renovated ICU enhances the mission by providing an atmosphere that contributes to healing. The original ICU was dimly lit, had no visual identity for the nurses stations, and people could easily become lost within the space. With the new upgrades, patients and staff have a calm, inviting, and bright environment that promotes healing and care.

Within the space, there are three nurses stations that are centralized around the patient rooms. Each station is connected by a boardwalk pathway. This pathway allows for staff to easily access each ICU quickly and effectively. The canopied stations, identified by a different color, easily allow patients and staff to navigate through the space finding their destination quicker.

BSA LifeStructures is an integrated design firm creating inspired solutions that improve lives through architecture, engineering, interior design and planning services. With national expertise and regional leadership, BSA designs LifeStructures – innovative and inviting spaces that not only house the activities of healing, learning and discovery but actually contribute to them – in order to make a difference for our clients and communities. As such, a LifeStructure is purposeful, a LifeStructure inspires, a LifeStructure delights and a LifeStructure improves lives.

919.334.7301 Raleigh, North Carolina bsalifestructures.com

AN ICU THAT HEALS, CALMS, AND CONNECTS