Rafael Viñoly’s New Stanford Hospital Design Features Modular, Daylight Filled Cubes

Stanford Medical Center has always been known for educating some of the brightest minds in medicine, but their facility is rapidly becoming out of date. To stay ahead of technology and the times, a new $2 billion <a href="http://inhabitat.com/henning-larsen-designs-lush-green-heart-for-herlev-hospital-expansion/">hospital</a>, designed by <a href="http://inhabitat.com/rafael-vinoly-to-design-leed-edward-m-kennedy-institute/">Rafael Viñoly Architects</a> is in the works. Preliminary construction is expected to start in 2011 and progress in stages for about 6 years. A plan based on modular sections will allow the building to adapt to a variety of uses and allow for incremental expansion over the years. Daylighting is a one of the key design elements to encourage healing and the project is expected to target LEED certification.

Rafael Viñoly Architects were tapped to design the new state-of-the-art facility to eventually replace the current 1959 facility, which does not meet code for seismic activity nor does it have enough space.

The hospital is unlike most hospital designs and sticks to the general model for all Stanford campus buildings, which is a low and horizontal building surrounding in courtyard space.

At seven stories high though, the new Stanford Hospital will actually be the tallest building in the area, except for Hoover Tower, which is more of a spire.

Solid bases will house the surgery, diagnostic and treatment rooms.

The hospital rooms will be set in glass cubes above, flooded with natural daylight and which look down on the courtyards, meditation spaces and roof gardens.

Daylighting is a prominent feature throughout the facility and is featured in the main entrance atrium as well as in each hospital room.

The daylighting is not only meant to help heal but also to be welcoming for patients and visitors alike.

Motorized blinds will track the sun and reduce heat gain.

The hospital's cafeteria will have direct access to courtyards and gardens.

Based on modularity, the facility is composed of a universal module measuring roughly 120 x 120 feet (36.3 x 36.6 meters), which is deployed in a checkerboard pattern to generate a floor plan with hospital functions alternating with open spaces.

Rafael Viñoly Architects is working with L.A. firm Lee, Burkhart, Liu on the healthcare design.

Aerial view of the new hospital on the left and the existing hospital on the right on the northwest part of the campus.

Top down view of the new facility.