In the wake of Hurricane Florence, a major regional hospital system commissioned a study of resilient hospital design to inform future facilities. The resulting research and conceptual design used a holistic approach to form, façade, systems, efficiency, and the patient experience to create a more resilient design and better places for healing.

Key elements include a re-imagined form with elevated patient spaces and nonessential spaces at lower levels, perforated metal panels to protect the building from projectiles up to 200 MPH while allowing filtered natural light into the patient spaces, a rooftop solar array which allows the building to operate if the power grid goes down, entry points at multiple levels, and greatly reduced energy loads which allow the building to operate much longer on solar power than a typical hospital.

The concept also focuses on the patient experience with daylighting, views to nature, biophilic design, and beauty; this holistic approach to resilient design creates the potential for better places for healing, safer access during disasters, and better building performance both in significant weather events and for year-round use.