New Gundersen St. Joseph’s facility recognized for design

Greater Madison InBusiness honored Gundersen St. Joseph's new $33 million facility with a Commercial Design Award.

The Best New Development or Renovation–Health Care award recognizes the adaptability and flexibility of the 65,000-square-foot critical access hospital and clinic on the edge of Field Veterans Memorial Lake in Hillsboro.

Judges recognized the design of the facility followed a recent trend of deinstitutionalizing hospitals and clinics by making them less intimidating and more inviting. They also praised the efficient design that maximizes space, the ability to adapt areas to meet the needs of various patients, and the colocation of the Emergency Room and inpatient wing to maximize staffing resources and keep costs low.

"What impressed me most about this project was the very generous use of natural daylight," one judge noted. "The building was developed in a manner that allowed light and view to penetrate many of the spaces. The access to nature and natural light has been shown to be a positive influence on health and well-being."

"This is a wonderful recognition of the many hours of work our team put into designing this facility alongside our partners at HGA Architects and Engineers and C.D. Smith Construction," said Kristie McCoic, administrator at Gundersen St. Joseph's Hospital and Clinics. "It's rewarding to see the judges acknowledge the thoughtful design and appreciate the many aspects of this amazing facility."

Solar panels that will be installed next month as part of the system's commitment to energy efficiency will save about $12,000 in energy costs annually.

See the award details here.