Page 10B—
COLORADO REAL ESTATE JOURNAL
—
March 2-March 15, 2016
A
fter 51 months, with
initial planning in
winter 2012 and a
target completion date set
for late 2016, Craig Hospital’s
$90 million expansion and
renovation is nearing its
conclusion. In addition, the
hospital announced that
it exceeded its $68 million
fundraising target by $5
million.
The success of the Craig
Hospital expansion is the result
of the deep collaboration that
took place early in the design
process between architect of
record RTA Architects and
partner firm SmithGroupJJR,
as well as general contractor
GE Johnson and hospital
rehabilitation staff. The team
united to resolve an extremely
complex problem: How to
build a new facility in and
around an occupied traumatic
brain injury and spinal cord
injury rehabilitation hospital
with minimal disruption to
patients and staff.
A critical starting point of
the process was to pull in
experts from all disciplines
and break the enormous
project into 22 phases. The
planning phase took a full year,
which began with a week of
immersion at Craig Hospital
by the design team. Using an
integrated project approach
with the general contractor,
the team co-located at the
Craig Hospital campus during
concept and pre-schematic
design to build the project
plan, design and budget. The
project team continues to meet
on a routine basis at the on-site
project trailers to provide a
collaborative environment
through to the completion of
the project.
This theme of collaboration
now extends throughout
the facility. The new staff
workstations are designed to
encourage a team-oriented
environment for therapists,
doctors and nurses. Cozy
bistros are located on each
patient level of the hospital,
offering space for families
and staff to share meals with
patients. Patient hallways are
flared to widen at the north
end to create family and
patient sitting areas while
accommodating expansive
windows that stream natural
daylight into and down the
length of the hallway.
The details and finishes
reflect the thoughtfulness and
collaborative nature of the
design process. The building
is incredibly aesthetic with
sand-colored walls that feature
thematic nature-based artwork,
and sound absorptive rubber
flooring and acoustical ceiling
tiles that create a tranquil
serene atmosphere for patients.
Even the lighting is designed
to bathe the walls with warm,
indirect light so that patients
in wheelchairs don’t have the
harsh experience of looking up
into glaring ceiling lights.
Because the needs of
traumatic brain injury patients
differ from those who have
sustained spinal cord injuries,
the two groups have been
given separate levels of the
hospital. The top floor (level
four) houses spinal cord injury
patients and their brightly
colored, active therapy gym.
Traumatic brain injury patients
are on level three, a quieter
floor with an equally tranquil
gym. According to RTA
Architects’ Paul Reu, all of the
52 beds are occupied, and the
hospital maintains a waiting list.
Outside the front entrance,
the architects designed a
sensory garden, with wheelchair
paths and raised plant
containers positioned at the
height of a patient seated in a
wheelchair so they can touch
and smell the growing foliage.
Water features provide an
inviting node and add serene
sounds to stimulate auditory
development. The chapel
– which is nearly complete –
features a cork floor and white
stone accent wall with recessed
shelves that can be adorned
Sue Rose
Principal, Construction Writers
Collaborative, Denver
Courtesy Cooperthwaite Photography and Productions
Serene, nature-inspired décor was designed to give a calm atmosphere to all of Craig Hospital.
