New Orleans, Louisiana

3 Ground-up inpatient towers

Includes inpatient behavioral health, behavioral health ED, Prisioner Care Unit, ICU, Med/Surg, NICU, labor and delivery and cancer care

446 Inpatient rooms

1,500,000 sq. ft

Completed in 2015

Utilized lean design

Work done while at NBBJ

Project role: Interior Designer for areas listed above

Photography by: Benjamin Benschneider

The design team redefined healthcare and honored the legacy of Charity Hospital with the $1.1 billion, 1,600,000-square-foot University Medical Center New Orleans. They engineered the new Level 1 Trauma Center to withstand natural disasters, incorporating resilience against wind, floods, and earthquakes. The facility includes three patient towers with 446 beds and state-of-the-art features such as diagnostic and treatment centers, surgery suites, an emergency department, a conference center, and outpatient clinics.

The team designed the inpatient towers to address diverse care needs, housing med/surg units, ICU, NICU, a 60-bed Behavioral Health unit, prisoner care facilities, labor and delivery units, and a cancer care clinic. Using Lean methodologies, they facilitated multi-week integrated design workshops with clinicians from three academic healthcare institutions. These collaborative efforts focused on evidence-based design, sustainability, operational efficiency, and adaptability for future growth.

To create a calming and familiar environment, the interior design team integrated elements that celebrate New Orleans' rich culture. They incorporated environmental graphics and art reflecting local culture and natural landscapes to enhance wayfinding and provide positive distractions. On the ground floor, cultural motifs appear on backlit glass wall panels with integrated signage. Each elevator lobby features perforated metal screens inspired by French Quarter ironwork patterns, which are also echoed in patient room headwalls, seamlessly connecting public and private spaces. The "porch" entry design of patient rooms draws from New Orleans' iconic shotgun houses, blending functionality with a sense of home.

By fusing cutting-edge medical care with a deep connection to the Crescent City’s identity, the design team delivered a healthcare experience that is both innovative and profoundly human.

National AIA/AAH Healthcare Design Award, 2016

AIA New Orleans Honor Award, 2016

Modern Healthcare Honor Award for Outstanding Design, 2016