The Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU wanted to establish a destination for health and well-being for children of any age, create a clinical care environment that enhances interprofessional team collaboration, and engage each stakeholder—from staff members and patients to their families and the community—throughout the design process to understand their perspective and adapt creative elements as needed. | Photo Credit (all): Courtesy of Garrett Rowland
The Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU fulfilled a longtime dream with the opening of the Children’s Tower, a dedicated location for pediatric healthcare, in April 2023. Driven by a passion for putting children first, the building expands the existing Children’s Pavilion, creating a private haven for pediatric healthcare. The new child-focused inpatient hospital provides parents, families, and caretakers access to nationally-ranked pediatric specialists of all disciplines, allowing the Richmond facility to care for more children than ever before.
The overall goal was to design a comfortable and welcoming environment for all patients, team members, and families; in part by infusing bold colors, engaging shapes and fun-filled areas into the new facility. Taking the time to lay the proper foundation to sustain this overarching goal over time, the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU also wanted to: establish a destination for health and well-being for children of any age, create a clinical care environment that enhances interprofessional team collaboration, and engage each stakeholder — from staff members and patients to their families and the community — throughout the design process to understand their perspective and adapt creative elements as needed.
To help bring their vision to life, the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU entrusted New York-based interior design firm HKS Architects and material provider 3form to thoughtfully design multiple projects within the Children’s Tower.
Project Spaces
Leaning into 3form’s expertise in color, digital printing, and fabrication, the brand’s extensive color portfolio of over 250 colors contributed to the energetic atmosphere while its digital print capabilities provide a durable, easy-to-clean wood alternative, ultimately enhancing the hospital’s biophilic design components…