Spaces are stacked vertically, floor by floor, separating patient and staff areas from public spaces. Private corridors and elevators for patients and staff occupy the center of each floor, while their public counterparts are located along the north edge of the building. The architectural design of this complex serves a critical purpose in providing visual cues for wayfinding. To a great extent, the exterior of the facility is the framework or backbone for interior movement. Building on that framework, the architects continued their Patients-First design program in patient rooms.
Windows are low, giving patients unrestricted outside views from their beds.
Wooden corner cabinets offer shelf space for flowers and personal effects. A closet provides space for other personal items. To reduce the spread of infection, each room has a second sink in the caregiver zone for guests and hospital personnel. Most notably, freestanding sleeper sofas and recliners were replaced with day beds. The day bed, manufactured by ADD Specialized Support Technology Inc., has won industry acclaim, receiving Best of NeoCon 1999 awards, a Best of Competition award at the 1998 Nightingale Awards product design competition at the Symposium on Healthcare Design and a 1998 Acclaim Award in the IIDA Product Design Achievement Awards competition.