Perkins+Will designed the Rice Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Center located in Willmar, Minnesota.

The new Rice Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Building is a one-story building that consolidates three programs into one location to gain efficiencies in space and staffing.

The adult rehab program, cardiac rehab program and pediatric rehab program previously occupied various buildings in the community and lacked adequate treatment space and easy patient access. The new building offers convenient parking, patient drop off and connects by tunnel to the hospital for access to additional physicians, staff, and resources. The separate adult and pediatric gyms are key features of the new building and offer access to daylight and equipment in a collaborative rehab therapy environment.

The building structural and mechanical systems are designed for vertical expansion. The air handling units were located in the basement and shafts are sized for future capacity of an additional story. The exterior skin material and installation method were selected for ease of expansion. The rainscreen construction method and fiber cement panels can be extended vertically in the future and achieve a seamless look. Daylight was an important design driver in this project. Treatment rooms have windows that are above the line of site which provides daylight while respecting patient privacy. Transom windows are utilized in the corridor to maximize daylight reaching the interior spaces.

Design: Perkins+Will
Photographer: Brandon Stengel, Farm Kid Studios