Project category: New construction (completed September 2005)

Chief administrator: Peter Bernard, CEO, Bon Secours Richmond Health System, (804) 281-8317

Firm: Odell Associates, Inc., (804) 287-8200

Design team: Architecture (Odell Associates, Inc.); Interior Design (Kathy Helm & Associates); Site Engineering (Timmons Group); Landscape Architecture (Higgins & Gerstenmaier); Telecommunications (Gene Burton & Associates)

Photography: Prakash Patel; Lee Brauer Photography

Total building area (sq. ft.): 245,000 (hospital); 150,000 (medical office building)

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $208 (hospital); $100 (medical office building)

Total construction cost (excluding land): $51,000,000 (hospital); 15,000,000 (medical office building)

From first view to final farewell, the design and service of Bon Secours Richmond Health System’s St. Francis Medical Center bespeak quietude and professionalism. In the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of nature, the design creates a special place that balances medical technology and compassionate care through the delicate blending of healing, spirituality, and nature.

Outside, the landscape, piazza motor court, fountains, campanile, gazebo, prayer garden, and meditation trails evoke Assisi. Inside, the hospitality-appointed interior design and furnishings, art glass of the chapel, two-story waterfall, and impressive artwork bring tranquility to even the most anxious visitor. Together, the overall design creates an environment for complete health in providing compassionate care for the whole person, body, mind, and spirit.

This development of the 60-acre campus includes the new 130-bed hospital and attached medical office building. Planned future developments include the Cancer Institute, hospital expansion, and medical office uses.


The hospital is 245,000 square feet, housing a full range of medical and surgical services, 130 private patient rooms, 10 all-digital surgical suites, a complete line of women’s health services at the New Life Center, 24-hour emergency care, and all-digital radiology and diagnostics. The design allows vertical expansion to accommodate ultimate build-out to 200 beds and related services.

The first floor serves as the main entrance to the Grand Lobby from the piazza motor court. The second floor serves as the upper-level entrance to the Grand Lobby, and the Procedural Center, including surgery, endoscopy, cardiac catheterization, and the New Life Center. Third floor services include the critical care and acute care units. Fourth and fifth floor services include acute care, with the fourth floor of the medical office building including the physical rehabilitation unit.

The medical office building is 150,000 square feet and is physically connected to the hospital by the Grand Lobby. Taking advantage of the sloped terrain, the design of the medical office building provides at-grade entry and egress points to the first and second floors. This vertical separation of access proved beneficial to the marketing efforts for the medical office space.

The Chapel is placed prominently within the Grand Lobby as the spiritual center of the campus. The Chapel is designed as an intimate two-story cylindrical space flanked by art glass with designs depicting St. Francis and St. Clare flanking the altar with the night sky above. The Chapel design incorporates a second floor balcony so patients in wheelchairs or beds can participate in the spiritual setting or services.