Case studies

ESa designed Heritage Medical Associates’ Multi-Specialty Clinic in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, to provide a patient-centered, flexible healthcare environment.

The facility offers a range of services, including a multi-specialty clinic, diagnostic testing, and imaging. A glass entry canopy welcomes patients with natural light while providing weather protection. Inside, a two-story atrium with a curtain wall design fills the waiting and reception area with daylight and offers scenic views, enhancing the overall patient experience.
Blending seamlessly with its surroundings, the building’s exterior features earth-toned stone, brick, metal, and glass. This natural aesthetic extends indoors through carefully selected materials and biophilic artwork, creating a cohesive and calming environment in both public and clinical spaces.

The clinic houses specialized suites for internal medicine, endocrinology, diagnostic testing, rheumatology and infusion therapy, pediatrics, ENT, allergy, and dermatology.
Incorporating Lean and evidence-based design principles, the clinic utilizes standardized exam pods for adaptability across specialties. Each pod accommodates two physicians and includes six exam rooms, two offices, a nurse station, and a physician touch-down space. Additional amenities include a central staff break room and a shared physician lounge, fostering collaboration and staff well-being.

Location: Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
Square footage: 84,480 sf
Design: ESa
Photography: Gabe Ford
 

Hoybjerg Orthodontics offers a fresh take on dental care design in the community of Yuba City, California. Designed by LJ2 Interiors, this orthodontic office embodies a farmhouse industrial aesthetic, fostering a unique and welcoming atmosphere. With a focus on both functionality and style, the office showcases a neutral palette with pops of black, wood, and natural materials. The lobby reception area sets the tone for a seamless patient experience, while the waiting areas provide comfort and relaxation for patients on their dental journey. Hoybjerg Orthodontics redefines the orthodontic experience through thoughtful design choices and prioritizing patient comfort and satisfaction.

Designer: LJ2 Interiors

Photos: Satterlee Photography

Pinewood Springs is a 60-bed mental health and wellness hospital serving both adult and adolescent patients throughout Maury County, Tennessee. This space was designed to treat individuals with mood, thought, and co-occuring disorders. 

Planned services include inpatient and outpatient behavioral health treatment for adults and adolescents. Patient amenities include activity areas, dining and outdoor courtyard space. Intentional behavioral health furniture solutions were placed throughout the space to protect and support patients on their healing journey. As part of TriStar Health and HCA, this facility was created to support mental health and wellness in surrounding community. 

Location: Columbia, TN
Square footage: 49,000 sf
Architecture + Interiors: TM Partners  
Photography: Tom Gatlin Photography
 

Designed by Moody Nolan and built by construction firm Powers and Sons, Friend Health wanted to establish a project that serves medically underserved areas within Chicago’s neighborhoods, particularly in the city’s South Side area.

The resulting Friend Family Health Center in the Woodlawn neighborhood is certified as a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides low-cost services to residents in need, regardless of insurance, financial status, or immigration status.

The center offers a full-service pharmacy, a locally owned healthy cafe, group classrooms, obstetrics + gynecology services, family medicine, pediatrics, and behavioral health. Plus, a mural on the exterior of the facility, designed by Rahmaan Statick Barnes, celebrates the history and diversity of the Woodlawn community.

The Hampden medical center serves as both an advanced medical facility and a community hospital. Easily accessible for local and surrounding communities, the architecture was designed to reflect the rolling hills of the Appalachian Trail and the soft curves of the Susquehanna River. At the facility, a collaborative medical staff workforce partners with both Penn State Health physicians and private local community clinicians to offer a wide spectrum of care. 

The design team also carefully considered the patient experience by assembling a 14-member community group to decide on the artwork, technology, and more to best support the patients within. The design was inspired by natural colors, and even the furniture includes gentle curves just like the architecture. 

Location: Enola, Pennsylvania
Design: CannonDesign
Photography: Halkin Mason Photography 

Orlando Health’s South Lake Hospital Center decided to open a state-of-the-art outpatient surgery center to provide for patients recovering from extensive surgeries. Through beautiful architectural work by RS&H, the new building incorporates beautiful natural elements like hardwood ceilings, water backdrops, and a mosaic backsplash along with an insightful layout. Together, they furnished patient rooms, pain management centers, and waiting areas to create a comforting and inspiring healing environment. 

Location: Orlando, FL

Architecture and design firm: RS&H

Photography: Root Photography

The UC Irvine Medical Center was looking to upgrade the Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center by expanding clinical and support spaces as well as updating the style to feel more light, airy, and welcoming. With the help of Tangram and Tangram’s in-house designer, the team chose Carolina furniture to create cohesive waiting spaces for the newly renovated Center.

Despite the first floor waiting area’s long and thin dimensions, designers used flooring details both inside and out to create the illusion of no-boundaries, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows and the thin frame of Rule of Three seating. Today, the furniture and space maintain a fresh, uplifting place to help patients find more comfort and beauty in healing spaces.

Location: Orange County, CA
Architect: Perkins Eastman
Design: Pickett Design Associates
Photographer: Benny Chan

Baptist Health South Florida commissioned Gresham Smith to design a 43,000-square-foot full-service hospital and emergency department in Doral, Miami's growing suburbs. The two-story facility features an emergency department on the first floor, equipped with an imaging center for x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, along with ambulance drop-off. 

The second floor includes 15 patient rooms, exam rooms, physician offices, a pharmacy, and two operating rooms with Da Vinci robotic technology for minimally invasive surgeries. Nurse stations are centrally located on each floor for efficiency, and the emergency department is organized by patient acuity levels for flexible operations.

Location: Doral, FL
Architecture + interior design: Gresham Smith
Design: NV2A Group
Photography: Sandy DeWitt
Accolades: 2022 IIDA South Florida Best Healthcare Small Project Award

This government medical facility in Canton, Michigan was designed to be a centrally located facility that could serve both Veterans from Ann Arbor and Detroit hospitals to provide additional care in the community and the surrounding suburbs. In partnership with Davis Corporate Solutions, the team curated a space that empowers easy wayfinding, bright natural light, and wellness. 

Inside, the large open atrium is divided into four primary colors: green, red, yellow, and blue to help patients and caregivers easily connect and assist in wayfinding. The variety of lounge pieces and tables enable guest and patient restoration and connection, as well as provide multiple seating heights and styles to meet veterans’ needs.  A blend of high back chairs for privacy as well as multiple seating areas and tables to encourage camaraderie and various seating zones. Today, the community and staff flourish with the support of this beautiful facility close to the people who need it most. 

Location: Canton, MI
Rep firm: Davis Corporate Solutions
Interior Designer/Project Manager: Meaghan Short

As the population of Lawrence, KS expanded, the main healthcare provider for the area, LMH Health, decided to expand their practice to offer additional outpatient care. Pulse Design Group and an extensive support team created a modern, airy space with large windows, neutral warm colors, and natural materials like wood and stone help visitors connect with nature. 

To support patient, community, and caregiver wellness, the design team also included a rooftop garden, a public outdoor therapy garden, and works by regional artists to reflect local charm. Today, the LMH Health Outpatient Facility offers ambulatory surgery, an orthopedic center, sport therapy and rehab, internal medicine, and plastic surgery services to support the surrounding community. 

Location: Lawrence, KS
Square footage: 243,000 sf
Design firm: Pulse Design Group
Dealer: Scott Rice Office
Rep group: Messerschmidt Inc 
Engineering: 5BY5 Engineers
Electrical: Barts Electric
Controls: Johnson Controls
Mechanical Engineering: PEC Consulting Engineers
Construction: McCown Gordon Construction
Photography: Michael Robinson Photography

The newly opened Guerin Children’s pediatric medical surgical inpatient unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles combines advanced clinical care, leading-edge pediatric research and forward-looking physician education and training. The unit includes specialty care areas for pediatric patients, amenities for patients and family, and staff workspaces designed to encourage collaboration and focus. 

Color coding is used within the patient spaces to streamline navigation, and private rooms are never used as a space for treatment or procedures, providing "safe zones" for young patients. Technology integration is seamless, with monitors for inpatients to engage in video calls and education, hallways that display digital artwork, and biophilic lighting that mimics natural skylights. The space also includes an outdoor area, with enough space for a hospital bed so that every patient has the opportunity to connect with the serenity of nature. 

Location: Los Angeles, California 
Design: HGA
Contractor: Layton Construction
Photography: Kim Rodgers

CareOne wanted to expand their senior living offerings in East Brunswick to support senior health and wellness for the local community. They designed their care model to support the entire continuum of care under one roof, providing personalized treatment plans based on each resident’s unique physical and cognitive needs. 

Together with FX Collaborative, CareOne at East Brunswick Assisted Living created a beautiful, joyful environment with all the warmth and comforts of home. The intimate, boutique-style atmosphere focuses on one-on-one attention and care. This three-floor, state-of-the-art new construction offers luxurious amenities like a speakeasy, arts and crafts room, libraries, theaters, spa, salon, and more to support a vibrant community.

Location: East Brunswick, NJ
Design: FX Collaborative
Dealer: Dancker
Photography: Macchia Photography

The Summit of Bettendorf is a WellSpire community for healthy living. They have partnered with WesleyLife and Genesis Health System to offer independent or assisted living, short-term rehabilitation, memory support, or long-term care. Located near many different amenities, residents can enjoy quick access to their friends, a rooftop lounge,  and more with just a stroll.

The WellSpire team designed the space in pristine, modern design, making sure to incorporate dramatic windows, dynamic architecture, and soft touches like the warmth of wood and plush textiles. These beautiful spaces, combined with an array of activities to engage residents support holistic health so that both family and community members can have peace of mind.

Location: Bettendorf, IA
Design: Pope Design Group
Construction: Estes Construction
Engineering: Axiom Consultants 
FF&E: Workspace
Photography: Nate Johnson Photography
Square footage: 296,395

To create Seattle Children's Hospital, hundreds of passionate families, employees, and community members came together with ZGF Architects and VPI Representatives to craft a flexible, high-performance, patient-centered space. With eight floors above ground and three levels of underground parking, the project adds eight new operating suites, two catheterization labs, 20 flexible inpatient rooms, a new outpatient Cancer and Blood Disorders Clinic (CBDC), an outpatient infusion center, a retail pharmacy, an inpatient pharmacy, laboratories, and sterile processing space. The building connects to phase one, an inpatient bed tower, and an emergency department. 

The intentional wayfinding layout called the Discovery Trail outlines four zones within the hospital, and beautiful artwork by Shaun Qwalsius Peterson brings it to life in color and detail. This space was intentionally designed to support both the patient journey and caregiver experience. 

Location: Seattle, WA
Rep group: VPI Rep
Architect: ZGF Architects
Dealer: System Source 
Photographer: Ben Benschneider Photography
Square footage: 485,000 sf

HCA Healthcare sought to open The Hospital for Endocrine Surgery in partnership with a world-renowned surgeon. To do so, they partnered with Gresham Smith to renovate 64,000 square feet of an outdated space built in the 1970s. Today, the facility's exterior reflects a sophisticated feel that carries through to its technologically advanced space, modern interior design details, and highly specialized solutions to transform endocrine care. 

The facility is fully equipped with radiology, nuclear medicine, laboratory + pathology departments, 33 pre and post-surgery bays, a centralized nursing station, 15 private patient rooms, an outdoor terrace, a variety of waiting areas, and a dining hall, all reflecting the beauty of Florida's sun and sands through design. This new hospital provides a one-of-a-kind patient experience and supports world-class surgeons to provide exemplary care.

Design: Gresham Smith
Contractor: Brasfield and Gorrie
Photography: Chad Baumer
Square footage: 64,000 sf

When Smith Senior Living set out to expand their Orland Park campus, they wanted to redefine the skilled nursing environment by focusing on designing warm, hospitality-oriented spaces. With the support of an extensive team, they crafted inviting gathering spaces, a beautiful dining area, an outdoor courtyard, and complete therapy suite to accommodate residents and guests. The intentional design was also intended to trigger memories and encourage guests out of their rooms to the common areas, where they can find community, explore, and socialize. 

Location: Orland Park, IL
Architect: AG Architecture
Designer: Merlino Design Partnership
General Contractor: Weis Builders
Engineering: Reyn Engineering and AG Engineering
Food Services: SCOPOS Hospitality Group
Square Footage: 45,222 sf

Miami Heat Sports Medicine Center, owned by Baptist Health South Florida sought to create the first partnership of it’s kind, linking Miami HEAT and Miami Orthopedic + Sports Medicine. With the support of Nelson Worldwide, Robins + Morton, Carolina, and more they repurposed an existing medical office to create a 72,000 sf space that offers state-of-the-art orthopedic services personalized for athletes. They also designed centralized working areas to encourage collaboration within the medical teams. 

Location: Coral Gables, FL
Architect: Nelson Worldwide
Designer: Yi Belanger-Mayle
Contractor: Robins + Morton
Photographer: Ben Tanner

Florence-Darlington Technical College moved into The Continuum, a new 46,000 sf building constructed in partnership with The Darla Moore Foundation and Francis Marion University. Designed as a regional center for education and workforce development, the facility offers students a broad spectrum of educational options from technical certifications to traditional degrees. Together with the design team, they envisioned an educational system that could effectively support the needs of local businesses and empower students with practical skills to fit these roles.  Today, the Continuum offers revolutionary educational opportunities to South Carolina. 

Location: Lake City, SC
Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith
Engineering: Seamon Whiteside
Ceiling + Wall solutions: Armstrong Ceilings
Construction: Thompson Turner Construction
Photographer: Kristopher Decker, Firewater Photography