Foster + Partners, CannonDesign, and Gilbane Building Company have joined forces to realize a transformative healthcare facility for Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
The multiyear initiative includes the construction of two nine-story clinical buildings at Mayo Clinic’s downtown campus. The design concept establishes a central point of arrival, seamlessly extending the existing lobby into the new facilities.
A skybridge above the arrival point connects the two new builds with the facility’s existing Gonda Building. This skybridge is an integral part of a double-height social amenity area that offers spaces for patients and their families to rest, connect, and recharge.
“This is a revolutionary moment for medical care, and a complete rethinking of the traditional hospital building as we know it,” says Norman Foster, founder and executive chairman of Foster + Partners. “Our design centers on natural light, views, and connections with nature to facilitate new breakthroughs and help deliver the highest level of care, with warmth and compassion.”
The design will also incorporate dynamic care “neighborhoods” that streamline the patient experience and align with Mayo Clinic’s collaborative care model. At the heart of these community-centered areas are double-height winter gardens that serve as both social and functional hubs, offering light-filled spaces with panoramic city views.
A universal grid along with generous floor-to-floor heights will allow clinical spaces to change over time and respond as healthcare at the Mayo Clinic continues to evolve.
Additionally, the concepts seamlessly integrates digital technology to remove the boundaries between inpatient, outpatient, and virtual care systems, and enhance patient support throughout the entire healthcare journey.
“[This is] not just about constructing best in class new buildings—it’s about actively reshaping healthcare environments for current and future generations,” says Michael Pukszta, principal and health practice co-director of CannonDesign. “We’re creating a future where physical spaces and digital capabilities not only coexist, but seamlessly converge, pushing the boundaries of integration to uncharted territories.”
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