| Since the facility first opened in 1986, Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills’ members, staff, and visits per day have grown significantly. So, this addition strives to improve circulation and create an iconic entry point for the campus. Some of the exterior key features include realignment of the main drive with the central parking garage entrance, protected ADA parking lots on grade and level with new entries, and an extensive multi-lane drop-off to accommodate the new main entry and emergency traffic. The new entry, a curving blue metal screen paired with a sinuous glass curtain, adds clarity to both vehicular and pedestrian pathways and minimizes congestion. The realigned site combines a visitor drop-off, valet, and emergency drop-off along an un-congested pathway.
The expansive canopy provides continuity between the original aesthetic and the updated material pallet by integrating accent lighting and wood-look ceiling infill panel. A unique step-down pedestrian canopy helps provide better protection at the entry door while maintaining fire lane clearances near the center of the courtyard.
For the interior space, most of the first-floor space is dedicated to the emergency department. The large 38-bay ED is subdivided into three semi-autonomous units to help scalability and allow for census flex. The second floor is the surgical department. Its design surrounds a clean core concept directly connecting to sterile processing in the basement below via internalized dedicated clean and soiled elevators.
The addition also provides a new contemporary aesthetic with unique architectural elements that promote well-being for the patients and staff. Starting from the lobby, the space’s organic forms blend seamlessly with the expansive two-story high glass curtain wall. The warm natural material helps to soften the overall interior aesthetic. Accent colors on both wall and ceiling elements add variety while aiding in visually organizing a well-equipped space. Above the welcome desk and backlit tree-form panels, the soffit is fitted with beam lights to simulate the effect of daylight filtering through treetops.
The outdoor space, created by relocating and realigning the drop-off, provides a space for healing and community, including weekly community farmers’ markets. But blurring the line between the lobby and the healing garden comes with its own set of challenges. The expansive glazed openings use the latest technology with photochromic glass that self-tints and blocks the late afternoon sunlight while allowing a full view of the outdoor plaza and the green spaces on site. This prevents direct western exposure with potentially severe heat gain and glare impacts. The team reached the solution after studying various configurations at different times of day to understand these impacts better. After reviewing multiple shading solutions, based on the design intent and the shading criteria, photo-chromic and electro-chromic options stood out as superior. Ultimately a passive photochromic system that self-tints in the direct sun was selected to provide shading when needed but unobstructed views.
By combining a new, contemporary aesthetic with unique architectural elements, we created an entirely new entry experience for Kaiser Permanente members.
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