Saint Anne’s Hospital Women’s Pavilion

2024 – 2025

Mount Carmel Saint Anne’s Women’s Pavilion was a design for a 55,005 SF renovation to an existing hospital in Westerville, OH. The project consisted of renovations to an existing NICU alongside the additions of a Low Intervention Birthing Center, a Ronald Mcdonald House Lounge, a new entrance canopy, and an overall refresh of finishes to the entire wing. The project allowed for some unique design opportunities within the usually rigid boundaries of a healthcare facility, prioritizing the creation of comforting and warm spaces for families to bring their children into the world.

Low Intervention Birthing Center

2025 MA Design Awards – Best Small Project (Under 10,000 SF)

Overall plan of the first floor renovated area

The low intervention birthing center was a part of the project that transformed existing conference rooms into three low intervention birthing suites with a reception desk and support space. These suites were designed to be a place for people who wanted to give birth in a less sterile, medical setting, with midwives or doulas, but with the peace of mind knowing that medical support is close by. It was designed to be a warm, serene environment, utilizing natural materials, warm colors, and indirect lighting, which would elevate it from a typical hospital experience. However, since there are certain pieces of medical equipment and elements which were required to be in this space, the challenge was incorporating these in a way which would make them less noticeable, and therefore less intimidating.

Plan perspective view of a typical suite. The existing curtain wall allowed for abundant natural light, but required film on the bottom rows, as well as blinds for privacy.

Axonometric view of one of the birthing suites.

A rendering of one of the suites highlights the warm colors and curved forms that were used in the project. A curved soffit runs the perimeter of the room, connecting the family space to the mother’s bed in the center. A translucent sliding wall system hides the resuscitation area for the baby while still maintaining the elevated atmosphere of the space.

The same view at night displays the warm, ambient lighting, particularly aided by the cove light running the length of the curved soffit.

The opposite side of the room is characterized by the curved wood panels rounding out the corner, which flow seamlessly into a workstation, followed by the TV casework. This side of the room is for the family, complete with a sleeper sofa.

Ronald McDonald House Lounge

The Ronald McDonald House lounge was a design for a space within the hospital that would be for the use of families with children in the NICU. It included a full kitchen, a shower room, a laundry room, private work rooms, and a lounge area. Custom casework elements were a primary characteristic of this space with one main casework element including a TV on one side and a fireplace on the other. The design utilized the Ronald McDonald house signature primary colors, adding playful accents throughout the space.

Axonometric view of the entire renovated area

A view of the TV side of the lounge area. In the back is the children’s book nook, designed in a triangular form which matches the Ronald McDonald House logo. This motif was used repeatedly throughout the space.

A view looking through to the kitchenette and conference spaces.

NICU

The NICU portion of the renovations expanded an existing, cramped NICU space into an entire floor of both private and shared NICU rooms. Where before there were only shared NICU bays in one small area of the wing, the renovations transformed the rest of the existing floor, formerly labor and delivery rooms, into 15 new private NICU rooms, 6 new shared rooms, and 3 open NICU bays.

A plan of the entire renovated third floor NICU unit.

An axonometric view of a typical private NICU room, complete with a private bathroom.

An axonometric view of the three shared NICU bays.

A rendering of the three shared NICU bays

This view shows what was previously the entire NICU area, now transformed into a spacious central work station.