Tall & Urban News

The Pavilion, an inpatient facility on the University of Pennsylvania medical campus is now open. Designed by the architects Foster + Partners, with the architect of record being HDR, this project is meant to be both an institutional and architectural icon for the campus. The building’s form, color, and façade take inspiration from the existing university campus as to keep with the architectural character of the campus.

The patient care levels were designed to adapt to changing needs and patient demands. The 72-bed floors can be broken down into smaller unit sizes if needed. The 504 inpatient rooms are conversion ready and have both the space and infrastructure to handle a large range of activities from medical surgeries to intensive care. There is ample space for visitors who are supporting loved ones in the hospital's care and numerous respite spaces for staff. Daylight, views, and works of art were utilized to promote patients, visitors, and staffs’ overall wellbeing.

The use of prefabrication helped the construction succeed on the constrained site. It also allowed an opportunity for multi-trade disciplines to work together. Having both an integrated project delivery team and a multi-trade construction team fostered improved collaboration and communication which resulted in a higher-quality project.

For more on this story, go to Foster + Partners’ website.