Memorial Health

Construction of The Heart + Vascular Institute at Memorial Health University Medical Center, in Savannah, Georgia, is complete and the 203,230 SF, $45 million facility is open. The institute stands next to the Curtis & Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute, which Batson Architects also designed, and is visible from Truman Parkway, Savannah’s new perimeter road.

The new facility permits a multidisciplinary approach to patient care and positions Memorial Health University Medical Center for sustained growth. The tower features a striking exterior, with a dedicated three-story atrium entrance and lobby featuring four 20-foot high palms and two interior waterfalls. The design also unifies previous separate buildings, while transforming what had been the facility’s “back door” and exposed mechanical systems into an elegant front entrance.

Existing structures required that the new cooling tower be located adjacent to the central plant in a highly visible location. Batson’s design solution camouflages and scales down the cooling tower with landscaping, stepped massing and a water feature -- turning what would have been a blot on the landscape into a pleasant, park-like setting and main employee entrance.

From the outside, the five-story facility resembles a tropical resort or an art museum rather than a high-tech haven for cardiovascular patients. Valet parking is offered in a nearby 500-vehicle parking garage. The resort-look is continued with the furnishings: rattan couches and chairs with palm print and linoleum floor tiles with a green wave pattern. The top three floors of the new tower will permit expansion, supporting Memorial Health’s strategic objectives.

Inside, the design consolidates all heart and vascular functions, including angiography, catheterization labs, and cardiovascular and coronary intensive care units. “Our research indicated a need for more integrated services,” said Jeff Fogle, the firm’s project manager. “Cardiologists and radiologists will no longer be segregated, which will improve clinical outcomes and ultimately, enhance the patient experience.” The institute is attached to the main hospital and backs up against the emergency department. So, if a patient comes in for chest pain and in need of a heart procedure, there’s a direct connection to the cardiac cath lab.

Louis Batson sees the new facility as a landmark achievement, both for the client and the firm. “This will be the leading heart and vascular center in the region,” he noted. “We worked closely with the clinical staff to combine our ideas about best practices in the built environment with their unique approach to patient care. We listened to our clients and they trusted us to design a facility they can live with for years to come.”

For a more detailed look at the design and how we worked with Memorial Health to develop it, email Louis Batson at lpb3@bainc.com or call him at 864.233.2232.