This planning study was the first step in establishing a long term plan for growth for Children’s Hospitals only site for future expansion. The project goals include state of the art clinical and research campus, maximize operational efficiency and plan for future flexibility to support leading edge care and research and create an identifiable campus that will brand the institution as the premier children’s healthcare provider in the United States

The most distinctive attribute to the plan is a central space around which buildings are planned and organized. No medical center campus in the US can lay claim to a space of this size and presence. This space is the hallmark of the institution, provides a means to understand the multitude of uses for patients and staff alike. The intent is to create a group of signature buildings above a four story below ground parking structure. Buildings step down towards the space to allow for light and air while glass canopies and entrance colonnades create a pedestrian friendly environment. The glass and stone skin is drawn from the architecture of the main hospital; linking the two campuses together through their common exterior expression. A series of colored flying carpets provide horizontal accents that register the different scales of building and support a vibrant dynamic appearance.

PROJECT DATA
South Campus Expansion Civic Center Boulevard Philadelphia Pennsylvania 2,000,000 square feet of ambulatory care, clinical research, bio-medical research, parking for 1200 cars and support facilities on a 7.8 acre site. Buildings range from 6 to 20 stories above grade and 4 levels below grade - Mark Chen Architect