Gresham Smith designed the Brent Lane Campus for Baptist Health Care with a hospital and health center for patients in Pensacola, Florida.

Challenged by an aging hospital that could no longer meet the evolving needs of their providers, staff and the growing community, Baptist Health Care (BHC) sought a new full-scale health campus in Pensacola, Florida. Designed by Gresham Smith, the new facilities provide greater convenience, efficiency and the latest healthcare technology to serve the regional community.

The 10-story, 268-bed hospital houses general medical and surgical rooms, critical care areas, a mother-baby unit, a surgery department, specialty cardiac care treatment and procedure rooms, and a Level II trauma center. The six-story, 178-000-square-foot Bear Family Foundation Health Center contains multi-specialty services, including oncology, women’s health, outpatient imaging, bariatrics, cardiology and lab, as well as a conference center for public events, health education and community outreach. The 72-bed behavioral health unit, located on the west side of the campus, brings much needed behavioral health services to the community.

The campus is organized around a park-like town square that includes groves of heritage oak trees that create a variety of amenities including walking paths, respite areas and outdoor event spaces. The exterior of each building pays homage to the historical character of Pensacola’s local buildings and celebrates the natural surroundings of the beach community. Warm terracotta and shades of sandy white contrast to denote building entrances, and large spans of glass flood the interior with natural light. Durable materials, including precast concrete panels and impact glazing that surpass code minimum, and a hardened building structure and envelope will withstand hurricane force winds and rain. Additionally, electrical feed and potable water redundancies will enable the hospital to operate off-grid in the event of an emergency.

The interior of each building takes cues from the exterior design, using handcrafted materials, such as wood, bronze and terrazzo, to create a warm, welcoming environment for patients, their loved ones and staff members. Drawing inspiration from the oaks in the town square, large scale light fixtures reference sunlight streaming through Spanish moss, while planters and full-height windows also bring the outdoors inside.

To aid with wayfinding, every patient destination on the first floor is accessible from the primary public concourse, while staff and materials are separated in a secondary circulation system. To further enhance wayfinding, the idea of the horizon was used as the major organizing element for the finish palette. Reminiscent of light reflecting over the ocean at sunrise or sunset, the color palette shifts colors at each level of the building. Transparent and translucent glass reduce patient anxiety at clinical entries, which are denoted by accent lighting, wood ceiling treatments and large-scale graphics, and lightwells bring daylight deep into the building’s core.

Design: Gresham Smith
Program Manager: Meadows & Ohly
Contractor: Brasfield & Gorrie
Photography: Chad Baumer