SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Reflecting pools, flowing water, inviting landscaped courtyards, warm tree-filled atriums, soothing art and pleasing sculptures are what the public will experience for the first time at the unveiling of The Birthplace, the new maternity center at Gaston Memorial Hospital, Gastonia, NC. Affectionately known as The Birthplace, the maternity center reflects an evolution in healthcare design by focusing its priorities on family-centered care. Designed by internationally acclaimed architectural firm KMD, The Birthplace is the largest facility of its kind in the nation and aspires to be more than just a women’s center but a destination for expecting families throughout the southeast.
“The state-of-the-art women’s center redefines ‘state-of-the-art’ by at least five years through its innovative design,” said Jean Waters, Director of Public Relations at Gaston Memorial Hospital. “The Birthplace will provide the perfect environment for families to share one of life’s most amazing experiences.”
Innovation is apparent from the moment visitors step into the welcoming double-height glass atrium filled with sunlight, trees and the soothing sound of flowing water. KMD’s design not only celebrates warmth and community but also maximizes efficiency. An interior “main street” connects the center’s principal amenities -- courtyards, family rooms, media rooms, dining facilities, as well as the resource library, children’s library, and classrooms -- with the surgery suites. Off the main street, visitors and staff are directed to several “neighborhoods” that accommodate fifty-two Single Room Maternity Care (SRMC) suites, the NICU and full-term baby nursery, and the surgical suite for complicated delivery. Each neighborhood features a town square with a central nursing station, lush courtyards, and widened corridors with cathedral ceilings. Diffused streams of warming natural light filter through the entire “inside-out” garden design of the maternity village plan.
The SRMC suites employ the latest medical technology, placing The Birthplace on the cutting edge of the future of healthcare. The suites allow families, moms and babies to stay in one room for the entire stay, thereby reducing stress and creating a supportive family-centered environment. The SRMCs are also equipped with high-speed internet, digital cameras, full-size sofa beds, refrigerators, tv/dvd/cd players and whirlpool baths.
Perhaps the most progressive feature of The Birthplace is the sixteen-suite neonatal intensive care unit. Newborns requiring Level II or III intensive care share their own private room with their parents. Research shows that individually controlled light, sound, and temperature, as well as parental involvement, lead to optimal outcomes and shorter hospital stays for both infant and mom.
“Before we had even begun the design, we worked closely with Celeste R. Phillips, RN, Ed.D., the leading proponent of family-centered care. We conducted interviews with moms, expecting moms, staff members, direct and indirect family members, and together came up with the idea of creating a healthcare village that encourages family involvement, promotes wellness and education, fosters interaction, and celebrates the joyous event,” says Jim Diaz, Director of Healthcare at KMD.
The building itself is a major architectural feat. According to Herb McLaughlin, Director of Design at KMD, building atop a large parking structure set into the hilly site offered maximum flexibility. The lower three levels, mainly for parking, are underground. The top floor, approximately 170,000 SF, contains the birthing center within two wings placed side-by-side and connected by a double height atrium. As you drive upon the iconographic building, with its sweeping glass walls reflecting the warmth of the blue sky and lush green plaza, the immediate response is beauty and the assurance that you have just arrived at a world-class healthcare facility.
About KMD
Since 1963, KMD (Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz) has combined innovation and creativity to provide exceptional healthcare, academic, commercial and corporate architectural services. Based in San Francisco, CA with eight offices in four countries. The firm believes that experimentation and investigation of interpersonal interaction with the built environment are central to their work as architects, planners and researchers.
KMD designs have been completed in over 25 US states, France, Japan, Korea, Spain, Germany, England and Mexico and have won over 200 design awards, including over thirty-eight from AIA (American Institute of Architects). Notable KMD designs can be seen at Two Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills; Nadya Park in Nagoya, Japan; Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts; The Oakland Federal Buildings in Oakland, California; Sun Microsystems in California; and Ford Field (Detroit Lions Stadium) in Detroit.
KMD projects that will be completed in 2004 include: The new corporate headquarters building for General Motors in Warren, Michigan; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York; W Hotel in Mexico City; and the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas at Houston.
KMD
CONTACT: Genea Sobel of KMD, +1-415-399-4877, or sobel@kmd-arch.com
Web site: http://www.kmd-arch.com/
