Identified as the highest priority in the master plan, this children’s
hospital contains 96 same-handed, single occupancy inpatient rooms, a family
resource center, a gift shop, and underground parking. The six-story building,
located on the Riverside campus, brings a leading-edge pediatric care center to
Minneapolis while supporting Amplatz Children’s Hospital’s research and
patient-and family-centered care objectives.
Interior design theme, “Passport to Discovery,” as an interactive wayfinding
tool celebrating cultural diversity and reinforcing the importance of healthy
environments and global interdisciplines.
Decentralized floor plan reduces the travel distance of a nurse during a
typical shift from nine miles in the hospital’s previous facility to five in the
new building.
Modified race track organization keeps nurses close to patient rooms,
providing direct visual access to patient rooms and the hallway and decreasing
congestion and noise.
Patient rooms are right-handed/same-handed to encourage repetition and
standardization and reduce the chance for errors and waste.
Inpatient rooms, exam rooms, and procedure spaces are designed to
accommodate and encourage family participation in a child's healing process.
The massing and organization of the building reinforces the street edge and
provides a prominent presence.
Entry pavilion situated in a park-like setting greets incoming visitors.