Project category: New construction (completed February 2005)

Chief administrator: Brad Shockley, Vice-President, Denton Investors Limited Partnership, (858) 456-7212

Firm: Ascension Group Architects, (817) 226-1917

Design team: Erick Westerholm, Principal-in-Charge; Renee Mueller, Project Manager (Ascension Group Architects); Mark Cochran, General Contractor (SM Wilson); Jim Stephenson, Structural Engineer (Structural Design Group); John Deams, MEP Engineer (Piazza Engineering, Inc.)

Photography: Mark Trew

Total building area (sq. ft.): 82,000

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $63

Total construction cost (excluding land): $5,200,000

When the community of Denton grew at an unexpected rate, the board of the local community hospital decided to expand its campus to meet the increasing service demands. The immediate response was a replacement facility with supportive outpatient Medical Office Buildings that would streamline operations and promote patient and staff satisfaction, while enhancing the hospital’s image.

The Denton Medical Office Building was strategically placed adjacent to the newly constructed hospital for convenience to patients and rapid response from physicians. An air-conditioned connecting corridor was provided—not only to provide safe passage during inclement weather, but also to continue the public “medical mall” feature. This four-story facility encompasses 82,000 square feet of outpatient clinic space, including pediatrics, gastroenterology, medical oncology, and future radiation oncology.

The use of natural light was exploited with full-height windows on the first floor at public circulation areas and at each end of the corridors and elevator lobbies on the upper floors. Direct access through a beautifully landscaped courtyard was provided from the building to the dietary component of the hospital, where patients and staff can enjoy dining inside or outside on the elevated, outdoor covered patio.