Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian stands atop the list of the finest medical facilities in Southern California. In their quest to serve the future needs of the Orange County community, their Emergency and Imaging Departments required an expansion and renovation that meets their growth and current seismic codes. One of the requirements of the expansion and renovation was to create a new identity for the Emergency Department, yet it must blend with the existing campus design vocabulary. The exterior components consist of a canopy, covered walkways, plaza garden area with seating and new facades for the south, east and north elevations.

The new canopy and walkways consist of a series of vertical “gateways,” which represent a welcoming gesture to visitors and users. These gateways in turn support the horizontal roof components of the canopy and walkways.  A rectilinear design was chosen to blend in with the existing campus vocabulary. The color Tourmaline was chosen for the exterior metal panel so that it would be in harmony with the existing light warm tones of the campus. In the design of the site plan, the canopy and walkways were designed so that they fit and accommodate the existing infrastructure of a service ramp, buildings, and underground utilities. The project will be built in multiple phases so that the hospital can continue the treatment of its patients during construction.

The existing HVAC system was antiquated and undersized for their current needs. The new HVAC equipment would be located in the penthouse of the new addition, which is the most economical to support structurally; placing the new equipment on the existing structure would have required very expensive upgrading to the existing columns and beams. This posed a utilitarian problem of a large penthouse sitting over the entry of the project. This problem was an opportunity to create a sculptural identity for the project. A Mondrian inspired relief and pattern was used for the penthouse walls, which helps to break up the huge mass and function as a piece of art. The interior environment provides the visitors with a calm, warm and elegant environment that reflects the facility’s dedication to patient comfort. The main entry lobby design is an extension of the exterior horizontal and rectilinear design elements. A limestone entry floor, phenolic wood paneling, and a stone reception desk, were chosen for the qualities of aesthetics, durability and ease of maintenance. Full height curtain walls enable relaxing views to the plaza gardens and a 16 feet long aquarium serves as a relaxing focal point to calm the mind.