HDR was tasked with completing the Grand Island Regional Medical Center to offer patients responsive and thorough care in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Set within the central Nebraska landscape, the Grand Island Regional Medical Center was established to serve as the anchor to a new health and wellness focused development serving the community of Grand Island, NE. The project was initiated by a group of local doctors and business leaders who felt that current health-system providers were not offering Grand Island patients an experience that was community-driven and responsive to their needs. The new hospital is integrated strongly into the surrounding context and landscape, with access to nearby walking trails, healing gardens, health and wellness-focused businesses, and living and hospitality opportunities.

The architectural design of the 173,000-square-foot, 64-bed hospital is driven strongly by providing a regionally-influenced approach. The red, open-joint metal panel system recalls the classic red barn, while a ledgestone-patterned precast base establishes a strong foundational plinth. The primary mechanical systems have been integrated into the second floor, allowing the upper patient rooms to be elevated over the landscape and have expansive, framed views. Throughout the interior, the design integrates over 90 full-height commissioned photographs that showcase Midwestern landscapes, including a unique graphic in every patient room. Daylight is used throughout the hospital to provide clear orientation for visitors and a blending of the interior and exterior environments.

The hospital is further designed to grow with community, with support in the design for the expansion of the surgery and emergency departments on the site, and a vertical expansion of the patient tower to 128 beds. The Grand Island Regional Medical Center will serve its community with a patient-focused approach and an inviting, modern design.

Design: HDR
Photography: Dan Schwalm