Completed in July 2003, the Presbyterian Children’s Emergency Department is dedicated exclusively to emergency care of children and is the only facility of its kind in the region.

Located adjacent to the Presbyterian Hospital’s main Emergency Department, the Children’s Emergency Department, in and of itself, is unique. It is a colorful slice of four areas of the world: Tropical Seas, Arctic Tundra, African Savannah, and Tropical Rain Forest. Each area has unique design and artistic interpretations for children to view during their stay in the Department, which helps lower their anxieties and leads to quicker diagnosis and treatment.

Each of the areas has murals depicting animals and their habitats. Maps of the world are in each treatment room to show the continent where the animals live. This attention to detail helps with the communication of the nursing and physician staff with the patients, and it provides a communication tool for the parents and the children, as well.

The 4,700-square-foot renovation project includes eight exam rooms, two of which are dedicated to orthopedic and gynecologic care, a triage room and exam rooms for critical care, isolation, and radiology. The project also includes a nurses’ station and support spaces.

Project category: Remodel/Renovation (completed July 2003)

Chief administrator: Carl S. Armato, Chief Executive Officer, (704) 384-4000

Firms: Presbyterian Hospital, (704) 384-9990; McCulloch England Associates Architects, (704) 372-2740

Design team: Colleen Farquharson, Director of Emergency Medicine/Trauma Services (Presbyterian Hospital); Richard A. Henly, AIA, Vice-President, Principal-in-Charge (McCulloch England Associates Architects); Dean Belk, Project Engineer (Optima Engineering, PA); Greg Keach, President (Hostetter & Keach, Inc.); Mike Walker, Creative Consultant (Mike Walker/Creative Consultant)

Photography: Peter Brentlinger

Total building area (sq. ft.): 4,700

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $184

Total cost (excluding land): $865,034