The Reid Rehabilitation Services Building is a freestanding structure for adult and pediatric physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, hydrotherapy, wound care, and sports medicine. The client wanted this facility to reflect the high quality of care for which Reid Hospital is known, with the thought that human touch is at the heart of healing in rehabilitation services.

The entrance and lobby answered a key functional design challenge and serve as the facility’s centerpiece. In effect, the lobby is a shared area between adult and pediatric therapy spaces. This multiple-function space must accommodate waiting, support-group discussion, a play area, work spaces, and TV viewing. This was achieved by a series of half-height wall dividers, millwork dividers, and screen walls.

Project category: New construction (completed March 2004)

Chief administrator: Barry McDowell, Senior Vice-President, (765) 983-3000

Firm: HDR – Chicago, (773) 380-7900

Design team: Dave Redemske, Project Designer; Michael Doiel, Project Principal; Todd Eicken, Project Manager; Julia Louie, Project Architect; Marcia Vanhauer, Project Interior Designer

Photography: ©2003 Jeffrey Jacobs/Architectural Photography, Inc.

Total building area (sq. ft.): 34,000

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $176

Total construction cost (excluding land): $6,000,000

To convey a strong relationship with and commitment to the surrounding community, a special eye-catching glass wall was created. Not just any glass wall, it features cast handprints—even including therapy-dog paw prints—of local citizens, staff, patients, and others who attended the facility’s groundbreaking. Artists took the impressions and created a dual-sided transparent wall that introduces the transition between waiting and therapy spaces.

To further promote healing, designers used plenty of natural light in the lobby, therapy spaces, and in a traditional gymnasium, which has a regulation basketball court. Treadmills are oriented toward the dramatic half-round windows for a visual escape and give a sense of “playing outdoors.”