Better care by design
Children’s Hospital of Michigan,
Critical Care Tower
Detroit, MI
Shepley Bulfinch assembled a team of doctors, nurses, and frontline stakeholders to contribute to the design process of the Critical Care Tower at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. The result: A Lean design approach that improves the healthcare experience by optimizing patient flow, alleviating capacity constraints, and improving day-to-day efficiencies.
The 250,000-sf, six-story tower houses the latest in emergency, surgical, critical care, and radiology services. The dramatic two-story entrance and 9,000-sf curved wall of rainbow glass creates a sense of awe for the Children’s community. The tower’s central public space serves as a greeting area, enhances wayfinding, and anchors the CHM campus with a memorable visual identity.
“For the very first time, we designed a building, not based on architecture, but based on the flow of patients and families.”
Larry Gold, former CEO of Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Medical Center
Induction rooms are situated at the entrances of operation rooms to streamline the patient journey and provide private spaces for patients and families.
Private rooms allow new mothers to interact and enhance the bond with their newborns.
The Critical Care Tower completes a decade-long, campus-wide master plan. The Tower adds three diagnostic and treatment levels, and nearly triples the number of single-bed rooms. The new space includes lateral expansion of ED, radiology, and perioperative services.
