St. Luke’s Health Pavilion is a major first step in the plan to unite two hospitals on one expanded campus. In 1994, St. Luke’s Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital, both in Racine, Wisconsin, merged to form All Saints Healthcare. The healthcare system’s quality patient care, clinical excellence, being the employer-of-choice, and being the preferred partner of physicians were its key attributes that served as the basis of the design for this new Center of Excellence.

The entry galleria sets the tone and patient perceptions and expectations for a comforting healing environment centered on the elements of water, land, and sky. The programmatic clusters are designed to embrace the site amenities of a pond, woods, and the celebration garden.

Daylight, warm tones, and natural materials provide a soothing transition for patients into a high-tech modern facility. Ambulatory and Outpatient functions have a first-floor location for ease of access. The Women’s and Infant Services level has postpartum rooms with floor-to-ceiling bay windows overlooking the pond or woods, creating a special space for a family with a new baby. Neonatal Intensive Care Rooms on the Children’s Services level provide private or semiprivate care in light-filled rooms.

Technical elements are located “backstage” behind sliding panels or are set up in adjoining equipment rooms and moved into patient rooms. Staff areas are not forgotten, offering soothing views of the outdoors from physicians’ offices and staff break rooms.

Project category: New construction (completed May 2003)

Chief administrator: Ken Buser, President, (262) 687-5115

Firm: Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP, (414) 410-2964

Design team: David J. Raysich, AIA, Partner; Jeffrey Holzhauer, Project Manager; F. Basilio Mercado, Project Architect; D. Scott Davis, Senior Project Designer; Pamela Davis, Senior Interior Designer

Photography: ©2003 Edward Purcell Architectural Photography; ©2003 Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP

Total building area (sq. ft.): 174,000

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $181

Total cost (excluding land): $31,468,000