UHS Women's & Children's Hospital
August 9, 2018
The Marmon Mok | ZGF Team is working with University Health System to design a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital. We are grateful for the opportunity to help create a ... More
University Health Women's & Children's Hospital
The University Health Women’s and Children’s Hospital in San Antonio is the inaugural medical institution in South Texas exclusively devoted to women’s and children’s healthcare—a distinction shared by just twenty such centers nationwide. Its unveiling signifies a pivotal stride in elevating care standards for a historically underserved patient demographic. Marmon Mok Architecture and ZGF Architects approached the design and programming of the 14-story tower with an unwavering commitment to fashion the preeminent healthcare destination for women, children, and infants across South Texas.
Empathy and Community-Centric Design
Informed not only by client aspirations but also by invaluable input from stakeholders and the community, every facet of the design embodies empathy, compassion, and a family-centric approach to care, nurturing patients at every juncture of their healthcare journey. In partnership with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio—the region’s largest research institution—the new Women’s & Children’s Hospital assumes its role as an academic teaching hospital, ensuring that care standards continually evolve to integrate the latest advancements in obstetric, gynecological, neonatal, and pediatric health.
Architectural and Functional Excellence
Architecturally, the hospital tower asserts its distinctiveness while harmonizing with the existing University Hospital campus. Functionally, the facility seamlessly integrates with intuitive wayfinding and informative signage facilitating clear navigation. Evidence-based design principles prioritize natural light, expansive views of nature, and private patient rooms, fostering an environment conducive to healing and comfort. The interior aesthetic, characterized by a harmonious blend of materials such as terrazzo and textural elements, imbues public spaces with a humanizing warmth, while regional materials like stone and wood, accentuated with dichroic glass, reinforce continuity between public and clinical realms.
Comprehensive Women’s and Children’s Specialized Care
From large, private delivery suites and breastfeeding support centers to kid-friendly patient rooms and pediatric rehabilitation gyms, the hospital embodies a holistic approach to care. As South Texas’ premier Level IV Maternity Center, it specializes in high-risk deliveries and pregnancy complications, addressing regional health disparities with the utmost expertise and compassion.
Embodying University Health’s commitment to cutting-edge care and safety, the design channels the surrounding landscape’s innate beauty and fosters an environment of empathy and security. Recent research underscores the pivotal role of family presence in enhancing health outcomes, a principle reflected in the facility’s design, which actively encourages family participation in the healing process. From NICU facilities equipped with kangaroo rooms to mother-infant units promoting couplet care, every aspect of the design meets the varied needs of mothers, children, and families along their healthcare journey.
Related Projects
Features
Awards
- CODA Healthcare Merit Award - UH Women’s and Children’s Nest 2023