Early in the visioning process for El Camino’s replacement hospital, the entire hospital community concluded that El Camino would “create the preferred community healthcare destination of Silicon Valley, focused on innovation and the individualized patient experience: integrating technology and efficiency within a caring environment.”

The most striking feature of the hospital will be a central courtyard between new, seismic-compliant inpatient care services and an existing building converted to outpatient care. Accessible at ground level, the courtyard serves as a visual focal point for visitors and patients entering from three directions.

Innovative design concepts include adoption of the Acuity-Adaptable Room concept, interconnected inpatient care units so that beds may swing between units, and a third corridor to separate public and staff/patient circulation within nursing units.

Project category: Project in Progress (April 2009)

Chief administrator: Ken King, Vice-President, (650) 988-7887

Firm: KMD Architects, (415) 339-4905

Design team: Jim Diaz, FAIA, Principal-in-Charge; Rob Matthew, AIA, Director of Medical Planning/Project Director; Richard Sheng, Project Manager; Don Ichino, Project Designer; Charles Parks, Programmer

Total building area (sq. ft.): 457,000

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $700

Total construction cost (excluding land): $320,000,000

The project includes a Critical Decision Unit, where patients will be held for observation before admission or discharge; an Interventional Platform, combining 10 ORs and six Cath Labs within one large suite; and two ORs planned for future MRI-assisted procedures.

Sustainable design concepts (in addition to those that conserve energy) include saving or relocating many heritage trees; allowing the large central courtyard to light the interior of the complex; providing additional, smaller exterior courtyards to serve ground-level departments; and relocating a proposed parking structure to avoid putting a barrier between the hospital and a large city park.