Project Data:

Completion Date:     12/7/2020

Square Footage:      21150

Building Use:           Hospital Maternity Unit

Design Architect:      Taylor Design

Project Description:

Hoag is a nonprofit regional health care delivery network in Orange County, California. In order to meet the needs and desires of today’s expectant and new mothers, the Fudge Family Birthing Suites accommodate evolving trends in women’s health, offering integrated single room maternity care to support Irvine’s ever-growing population.

Partnered with Hoag, the design team was tasked with reimagining maternity care delivery bringing crucial women’s services to the Hoag Hospital Irvine. The project area is located within the 1st floor of the existing patient tower and a building expansion under the 2nd floor overhang of the 1st floor. The project also incorporated a new reception waiting area for the main hospital. The space embraces its ground-floor location to include a dedicated lobby and private, locally inspired, outdoor garden walk to serve as a calming amenity for expectant mothers. The unit features 12 birthing suites, two C-section operating rooms, nursery, and support spaces. The new suites offer the ability for moms-to-be to experience labor, delivery and the first precious moments with their newborns all in the same room.

The silhouettes of the Saddleback mountains served as inspiration for the custom feature wall in the Fudge Family Birthing Suites lobby. The expansive, 2-story wall sculpted with stylized peaks and valleys serves as a dramatic backdrop. Purposeful lighting casts shadowing on the wall, highlighting its depth, while the sunlit space allows the wall to change appearance throughout the day.
A major project challenge was speed-to-market to support Hoag’s vision of a December 2020 opening. The design and construction team were initially tasked with 10-month construction schedule that accelerated to a 7-month schedule to accommodate for time lost due to an unusually long review process with OSHPD. Construction occurred in two phases, first with the completion of new hospital’s Main Lobby, leaving the function of the hospital during phase two uncompromised.

Within this accelerated timeframe, and while under construction, the headwall and footwall fabrication changed to an alternate manufacturer due to delivery constraints. This alternate required extensive redesign and coordination, between all disciplines, for quick turnaround. Space constraints were found within congested existing ceilings but produced an opportunity for organized indirect linear lighting. In justifying the light to the inner core of the main circulation path, existing infrastructure was able to live freely within the ceiling. Keeping a comfortable, home-like, experience in mind, light levels were met by incorporating Suite identifying sconces and toe-kick lighting illuminated the nursing stations. The indirect lighting was placed on dimmers allowing for a softer, soothing, environment for the frequent overnight stays.