Merging science and soul to create a welcoming, healing environment that meets the evolving needs of patients, families, and caregivers

Stamford Health - New Hospital Pavilion Planning and Design

Stamford Health wanted to create a new hospital centered around three principals—embrace, care, and heal. They engaged our team to create a modern, patient-centered environment that blends technology with human touch, providing efficiency and comfort.

We embraced and incorporated the Planetree philosophy into our process. This evidence-based, humanistic model personalizes, humanizes, and demystifies healthcare. Guided by user-centered and participatory planning, we engaged clinicians, administrators, and community participants to co-create a facility that balances advanced medical technology with holistic healing. Our design includes indoor and outdoor yoga areas, green-roof terraces for caregiver respite, and sensory environments for therapeutic touch and sound.

Our approach reflects an intentional integration of "high-tech" care with "high-touch" environments, grounded in evidence showing that patient and employee well-being are deeply influenced by spatial experience. Our planning process extended to collaboration with the City of Stamford and surrounding neighborhoods, reinforcing the hospital’s role as a community-centered institution.

Replacing century-old campus structures, the new hospital was the largest LEED-certified healthcare project in the US and the first in Connecticut at the time of its completion. Infused with natural light, warm materials, and calming features, the design reduces stress with noise control, water and fireplace elements, gardens, and expansive views. Every aspect of the hospital supports healing, from private rooms with family accommodations to strategically placed nurses’ stations that improve visibility and care.