Passport to Discovery

Resembling a children's museum much more than a pediatric hospital, the new University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital is a sight to behold. Outside, a color metal façade and color-changing LEDs attract the eye, while inside, a “Passport to Discovery” adventure beckons children on a journey throughout the themed floors and corridors to collect stamps on their passports. Highlighted by different natural habitats on each floor and animal mascots in each clinical area, the interior design strongly ties into this engaging theme.

The building itself consolidates the hospital’s pediatric and inpatient units providing access to pediatric specialists, emergency medicine, critical care, neurosurgery, trauma surgery, orthopedics, and more—all in one location. Amplatz also offers the only children’s dialysis unit in the state of Minnesota.

For a glimpse into the extensive thought, planning, and innovation that went into this $175 million facility, Barbara Horwitz-Bennett spoke with Amplatz building team members Richard L. Kobus, FAIA, FACHA, senior principal, Tsoi/Kobus & Associates (TK&A); Richard Moon, AIA, LEED AP, associate principal, TK&A; Chu Foxlin, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP, associate, TK&A; and Russ Williams, vice president, professional services, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview and University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital.

Pediatrics with a splash of color

Russ Williams: We were in a pediatric hospital within a regular hospital arrangement, with four inpatient pediatric units and another dedicated pediatric sedation unit, but otherwise, all other spaces, such as imaging and surgery, were shared, so it was a very mixed model.

The two primary impetuses to build a new building was to separate the pediatric and adult care so that everything could be dedicated to the care of children. Secondly, it was the first step of a longer campus master plan to be able to expand services and, ultimately, replace some of the buildings on campus.

Richard L. Kobus, FAIA, FACHA: I think that both we and the owner felt that because this site used to be a parking lot, it had really eroded the urban edge of the street. We quickly came to the conclusion that re-engaging the street was important. This also meant that the building would be visible from the adjacent interstate highway and from another access point—East Riverside Drive along the Mississippi River. Ultimately, we wanted to connect this new building to the city of Minneapolis.

We were also building in front of a not particularly attractive 1950s red-brick hospital and had a lot of discussions about whether we’d try and match the brick or do something more distinctive. We looked at different materials, but the particular stainless steel panels we chose are very lightweight and also have this wonderful quality of changing color, depending on the angle of light striking the surface. The panels have a playful kind of character and a magical quality to them.

Williams: We really wanted a look and a theme that was engaging for kids. When a child arrives at the building, whether it’s the colorful metal façade or the nighttime LED changing lights, he says, “Wow!” and almost forgets that he’s coming to a hospital. Hopefully, we’ve reduced some of the stress associated with hospitals.

The curtainwall is mostly transparent glass, and that’s where we placed the LED lighting so that it would showcase those areas of the building. This is another example of something that is playful and interesting.

Richard Moon, AIA, LEED AP: The patients can also personalize their rooms by controlling the lighting.

Kobus: They can even connect their iPads to the lighting system, and the tempo of the music regulates the change in lighting.

Sun-filled scene