Gresham Smith is proud to announce that Healthcare Project Executive Penny Houchens, NCIDQ, IIDA, LEED AP, Lean, and Jacksonville Healthcare Studio Design Leader Brian Schulz, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP, will speak at the Florida Plans & Construction Seminar on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Alongside representatives from UF Health and TLC Engineering Solutions, the duo will share how the team successfully added a 124-bed patient tower to the UF health North campus.
A summary of the presentation is below.
Advancing Healthcare: Patient-Centric Design and Sustainable Growth at UF Health North
Presented by Gresham Smith’s Penny Houchens and Brian Schulz, UF Health – Jacksonville’s Nancy McLaren, and TLC Engineering Solutions’ Ben Roseborough
UF Health North began as an FSED/ASC/MOB in 2015 and was expanded to include a 92-bed patient tower in 2017. Recently, the team was challenged with executing the next phase in the master plan – the addition of a 124-bed patient tower which would more than double the original bed count. Expanding the back-of-house capacity while maintaining connectivity with other service areas required careful coordination and enabled other expansion projects within the existing facility. The design team reinforced the institution’s well established brand identity through evidence-based, human-centric design principles. This involved optimizing interior lighting, maximizing exposure to natural daylight, providing outdoor respite areas, and integrating positive distractions such as views of nature and artwork. This emphasis on environmental elements has significantly enhanced the well-being of both patients and caregivers.
