To accommodate rapid population growth and to bring care closer to home, Texas Children’s Hospital sought a full-service community hospital that could serve children in communities north of Houston. After partnering with us on a feasibility study and master plan for a satellite campus in The Woodlands, Texas, we were brought on board to design and deliver the first phase of the development, including a five-story inpatient hospital and a six-story medical office building housing outpatient clinics, offices and ancillary support spaces.

The new hospital and MOB reflect the Texas Children’s Hospital brand through the use of exterior materials that recall the color palette of the main campus; the cylindrical beacons that define each building act as colorful lanterns signifying the important work happening inside. Both buildings are connected on the first and second floors; the outpatient building includes 72 exam rooms and clinics for major pediatric specialties and the inpatient building features 60-beds and the area’s only dedicated pediatric emergency center.

The interior design of both buildings draws inspiration from the nature trails and play areas in the surrounding wooded neighborhoods. A “Spirit-of-the-Woods” theme features informal paths, organic shapes and textures, diffused daylighting and bright, playful colors. All of this was done to create a warm environment that distracts young patients and appeals to their parents.