The phased design and construction carefully integrates three (3) existing hospital buildings while demolishing the original 1965 structure to implement critical seismic upgrades. Close collaboration among structural, civil, and architectural teams, facilitated by the Progressive Design-Build (PDB) delivery method, allowed the hospital to remain fully operational throughout construction, seamlessly connecting new medical, clinical, and support spaces into a unified, resilient facility designed to serve the community for decades.
The new construction includes a two-story Medical Office Building (MOB) with ambulatory operating rooms and pre- and post-operative spaces, specialty clinics, and staff offices, connected by a one-story infill for kitchen, dining, and radiology functions. The MOB is integrated as a single structure, seismically separated from the three existing hospital buildings. A standalone concrete structure houses a Linear Accelerator (LINAC) for radiation containment.
The project achieved ambitious sustainability targets despite a “zero-dollar budget for sustainability” by prioritizing efficiency and collaboration. The new facility is nearly all-electric (90% operational) using heat pumps, significantly reducing Scope 1 emissions (on-site combustion) and leveraging the region’s 96% carbon-free hydropower to minimize Scope 2 emissions (purchased electricity).
The team improved health equity by eliminating harmful chemicals and reducing PVC, instead using healthy, low-carbon materials like local Western Red Cedar and PVC-free rubber flooring. The structural design also targets embodied carbon, particularly the 65% concentrated in concrete (LINAC shielding), using efficient techniques like high-strength steel to reduce material volume, demonstrating that efficiency drives both cost and carbon reduction.
Early collaboration with the Design-Build team minimized disruption and maintained hospital operations. The civil design scope required extensive coordination to ensure the hospital’s main power, oxygen, and loading dock remained uninterrupted during utility relocation and the construction of large retaining walls. Environmental stewardship was a key priority; optimized grading and stormwater management (including bioretention areas) were used, and the parking was expanded with EV charging stations while preserving the hospital’s panoramic views. Finally, negotiations with the city achieved cost savings and enhanced community access via a new pedestrian walkway.
The completed South Campus project provides a modern, resilient, and fully integrated healthcare facility for Jefferson Healthcare, improving patient access to specialty care, increasing operational efficiency, and positioning the hospital to meet the community’s needs for decades to come.
Photography © Benjamin Benschneider