Providence, RI – Anshen + Allen, of Boston announced the opening of its latest project, the new 140,000sf addition to the existing Women & Infants Hospital in Providence.
Slated to open in September 2009, the highlight of the addition is a 56,000sf, 80 bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the largest in the nation with single-family rooms.
“The single-room NICU expands the field of neonatology from ‘survival’ to ‘quality of life. The design supports new clinical approaches in the care of neonates.” said James Padbury, MD, pediatrician-in-chief at Women & Infants and the Oh-Zopfi Professor of Pediatrics for Perinatal Research at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
“We shared a common goal with Women & Infants Hospital and that was to design the best neonatal intensive care unit possible to create a healing environment. The decision to design single-family rooms allows for a truly family-centered approach where families become partners in the care of their infants rather than visitors,” said Vera Van Middlesworth, medical planner.
“The design reflects this concern for family-centered care by integrating welcoming spaces for families throughout the clinical floors and by opening up interior spaces to daylight and views,” said Jay Verspyck, lead designer for the project.
Anshen + Allen designed the new wing to provided the privacy and separation that is necessary to perform critical procedures with restricted access, without impacting other infants.
The entire project encompasses 140,000sf and also includes a 30 bed Antenatal Care Unit totaling 24,000sf, and a new lobby with retail space, social services, a conference center, and a chapel.
The key requirement for the new NICU was to build the wing adjacent to the existing Labor and Delivery Suite. It was built on two floors in four areas of 20 beds each to minimize footprint on the site, reduce costs and provide a sense of community among families and caregivers.
