Creating a modernized pediatric health campus that blends art, culture, and the rhythm of New Orleans

Manning Family Children’s Modernization and Expansion

Manning Family Children’s partnered with our team to transform their pediatric facility into a fully modernized, comprehensive health campus. A clear and rigorous 34-phase plan allowed for continuous operations throughout construction. The process required innovative scheduling, heightened safety measures, progressive wayfinding, and extensive collaboration with the hospital, contractor, and community.

Visitors are welcomed by a striking entrance and glass-enclosed sky bridge leading to the Lauricella Pavilion—a new front door that enhances wayfinding and instills confidence in the quality of care. Inside, the vibrant, two-story lobby serves as an inviting “living room,” designed for comfort and engagement. Interactive game stations, noise-reducing acoustics, and colorful digital signage create an uplifting space for families, patients, and personnel.

The new 28-bed cardiac ICU and NICU feature universally designed private rooms, creating a calmer, more flexible care environment. Families can stay overnight, nursing mothers have greater privacy, and sensitive patients benefit from improved lighting and acoustics.

The newly expanded, single-floor emergency department enhances efficiency, replacing the original two-story layout. A dedicated behavioral health pod improves safety with anti-ligature features and optimized sightlines, creating a secure, controlled environment for vulnerable patients while advancing overall emergency care.

The new surgical platform features 11 operating rooms (ORs), a cardiovascular OR, and two advanced catheterization labs. Private pre- and post-operative rooms foster a calm, reassuring environment. A streamlined, one-way-flow sterile processing department replaces the outdated decentralized model, improving infection control, efficiency, and surgical safety.

Wayfinding at Manning Family Children’s isn’t just about getting from point A to point B—it’s an immersive experience that blends art, culture, and the rhythm of New Orleans itself. From sound wave patterns in flooring to piano key feature walls and oversized guitar picks guiding the way, every detail reinforces the hospital’s uplifting theme: The Healing Power of Music.