Project category: New construction (completed December 2005)

Chief administrator: Ed Epperson, CEO, (775) 885-4412

Firm: Moon Mayoras Architects, Inc., (619) 235-9780

Design team: Project Architecture (Moon Mayoras Architects, Inc.); Structural Engineering (Degenkolb Engineers); Mechanical Engineering (Peterson & Associates Ltd.); Electrical Engineering (Syska Hennessy Group, Inc.); Interior Design (Brandt Design Group); Medical Equipment Planning (Gene Burton & Associates)

Photography: © Vance Fox

Total building area (sq. ft.): 358,000

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $235

Total construction cost (excluding land): $84,000,000


Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center opened in December 2005 and is already acclaimed for its innovative and functional design features, specialized care centers, and practical application of the healing environment concept.

The 144-bed hospital exemplifies a therapeutic environment through incorporation of nature, numerous areas of respite, and other spatial amenities. A three-story entry structure is slightly skewed to the north to mimic the mountains and break up the linear building façade. The lobby and waiting areas feature floor-to-ceiling windows, providing natural light and a 180° view. All patient rooms have large windows, giving patients and visitors soothing views of the magnificent surroundings.


The hospital has four levels with a separate, 13,000-sq.-ft. central utility plant. The lower floor houses support services and a material-management/distribution center that allows materials to flow “behind the scenes.”

On Level 1, a 300-ft.-long lobby acts like a mall, allowing visitors and outpatients to find their destinations easily. This level houses Administration, Emergency, Imaging, Cath and Vascular Labs, Outpatient Services, and Dining. The Emergency Department has 18 emergency bays, 6 observation positions, and 6 fast-track positions, to accommodate 32,000 annual visits and to provide an additional 13 positions to accommodate the growing community.

Level 2 houses 8 operating rooms, 16 critical care beds, 27 surgical beds, and 8 cardiovascular beds. Cardiac patients will stay in the same room with the same nursing staff from pre-op through recovery. The cardiovascular patient rooms are larger than normal, providing ample space for bedside charting, a separate family area, and 8-ft. clearances at the footwall. The surgical suite’s eight operating rooms are a minimum of 600 square feet. Four substerile rooms and a clean core are provided to create the “classic clean core.” Wherever possible, equipment has been hung from booms to free up floor space.

The Women’s Center on Level 3 consists of 8 pediatric beds, 4 postoperative care beds, and 8 spacious LDRP rooms where a woman can experience labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum care in the same bed. On the same level are a 27-bed medical unit and a 42-bed medical telemetry unit. A typical patient room provides family amenities, including a daybed and desk.

Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center is designed to incorporate dynamic new healthcare technologies while providing patients and their families with a soothing and nonstressful experience.