The existing 23 bed open-bay NICU at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center provided a critical care environment for infants and families with a floor plan based on decades-old clinical design philosophies. Through a commitment to patient and family-centered care, the new, 20-bed, single patient room NICU transforms the environment into a space promoting care, family participation, and staff satisfaction. In a family-centered care environment, the balance of visibility and privacy are essential for the well-being of the newborn and family, and responsiveness of the staff. At the same time, the family-centered design fosters community among patients’ families. A finalist in the 2013 National Patient and Family Centered NICU Design Competition, the Franklin Square NICU creates defined yet overlapping zones for caregivers and families centered on the patient. By bringing the caregiver and family together as an individualized unit, staff need not feel imposing on families maintaining a sense of normalcy.