Tom Rossiter The Christ Hospital Joint and Spine Center in Cincinnati designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Today the AIA announced the winners of this year's National Healthcare Design Awards, an annual program from the institute's Academy of Architecture for Health that recognizes healthcare design and design research. Two of the seven projects selected are located on the West Coast, another two are located in New York State, and the remaining projects are in New Orleans, Phoenix, and Cincinnati.

The program recognizes projects across four categories: Built, less than $25 million in construction cost (Category A); Built, more than $25 million in construction cost (Category B); Unbuilt, must be commissioned for compensation by a client with the authority and intention to build (Category C); and Innovations in Planning and Design Research, built and unbuilt (Category D). There were no winners in the unbuilt category this year.

This year's jury was chair Doug Hocking, AIA, a principal at New York City–based firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Rosalyn Cama, the president and founding partner of CAMA in New Haven, Conn.; Tatiana Guimaraes, Assoc. AIA, the senior medical planner at the Miami office of Perkins+Will; Anthony Haas, FAIA, a senior principal at Houston-based WHR Architects; David Montalba, FAIA, the founding principal of Santa Monica, Calif.–based Montalba Architects; Sid Sanders, the senior vice president construction, facilities design and real estate at Houston Methodist hospital; and Kenneth Webb, an associate principal at the Washington, D.C. office of HKS.

Built, less than $25 million in construction cost (Category A)

Bruce Damonte

Kaiser Permanente, Kraemer Radiation Oncology Center
Anaheim, Calif.
Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign

Aiming to create a calming atmosphere, the firm inserted natural light into this 16,000-square foot treatment facility. "The jury was impressed with the design team’s approach of introducing a garden into a concrete bunker with access to natural light," the jury notes.

Michael Moran

Planned Parenthood Queens
New York City
Stephen Yablon Architecture

Completed last year, this 14,400-square-foot project in Queens used simple floor plans and a white color palette with vibrant accents. "The articulation of the façade maximizing view of the tree canopy, thoughtful use of color and details, furniture selection and integration of graphics are well orchestrated," the jury notes.

Built, More than $25 million in construction cost (Category B)

Ron Blunt

Memorial Sloan Kettering Regional Ambulatory Cancer Center
West Harrison, N.Y.
EwingCole

The firm converted an office building into a 114,500-square-foot healthcare facility. "From the cast in place wall, framed elements in the landscape to layering of finishes, selection of furniture and integration of environmental graphics, this projects demonstrates sensitivity to design and attention to detail at all levels," the jury notes.

Tom Rossiter

The Christ Hospital Joint and Spine Center
Cincinnati
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

The firm designed this new 381,000-square-foot building, finished in 2015, to integrate with the Christ Hospital campus. "This is a graceful project that is thoughtfully composed and placed in its context," the jury notes.

Nick Merrick/Hedrich Blessing Photographers

The University of Arizona Cancer Center at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
Phoenix
ZGF Architects

Located on the Phoenix Biomedical campus, the 220,000-square-foot project includes infusion bays that allow patients to view Camelback Mountain. "The articulated metal screens on the east and west façades offer an appropriate climatic response, transparency and a strong visual identity to the building," the jury notes.

Benjamin Benschneider

University Medical Center New Orleans
New Orleans
NBBJ

This 1.5 million-square-foot facility replaces the hurricane-damaged Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans. "The jury appreciated sensitivity to context and resiliency in designing a hospital. This large project is successful in addressing scale, sense of place, visual experience and integration of outdoor spaces," the jury notes.

Innovations in Planning and Design Research, Built and Unbuilt (Category D)

Aaron Leitz Photography

Seattle Children's South Clinic
Federal Way, Wash.
ZGF Architects

Finished in 2015, this 37,000-square-foot pediatric facility repurposed a former retail space occupied by Circuit City. "From ideation to execution the layering of color and perforated skin adds architectural quality to the façade. The iconography is playful without being childish welcoming patients and families into the building," the jury notes.

Visit ARCHITECT's Project Gallery for more information about the winners of the AIA National Healthcare Design Awards.