In Their Own Words

Barnes-Jewish Hospital South OR Suite and Cardiothoracic ICU

Designing flexible surgical suites to support current and future technology

In the largest OR reconstruction in the country at the time, Christner undertook the design of this urban teaching hospital’s new and renovated 48 ORs, a 21-bed cardiothoracic ICU, two pre- and post-anesthesia areas, central sterile, and other support areas built in three phases. We successfully implemented a 600 sf per OR standard - with most operating rooms for all specialties designed to the same flexible specifications - and created a plan that creates a platform for changing technology.

During design, Christner studied how ORs really function for surgeons and concluded that equipment on the ground had become too cumbersome and inaccessible. We implemented the notion of “space within reach” that meant all instruments, supplies, and equipment must be placed adjacent to the OR table to be efficiently used by the surgical team. We specified a variety of accessible, adjustable systems including a unique flexible ceiling grid that recaptures critical floor space in the ORs by suspending equipment such as power, data, and movable light sources.

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Size: 250,000 sf
Status: Completed 2007

<p>This project has resulted in significant improvement in operational flexibility by consolidating previously dispersed surgery suites and supporting functions.</p>

This project has resulted in significant improvement in operational flexibility by consolidating previously dispersed surgery suites and supporting functions.

<p>Utility booms suspended from the ceiling recapture space lost to bulky carts and utilities.</p>

Utility booms suspended from the ceiling recapture space lost to bulky carts and utilities.

<p>This diagram illustrates the 'space within reach' principle that helped create a template for the OR design.</p>

This diagram illustrates the 'space within reach' principle that helped create a template for the OR design.

<p>Fitting 48 new surgeries into the existing shell demanded creative solutions to space programming challenges. One solution at Barnes-Jewish places the surgery waiting room in a central location.</p>

Fitting 48 new surgeries into the existing shell demanded creative solutions to space programming challenges. One solution at Barnes-Jewish places the surgery waiting room in a central location.

<p>Private consultation rooms allow family members to receive “live” updates from the surgeon or medical team via the video integration system.</p>

Private consultation rooms allow family members to receive “live” updates from the surgeon or medical team via the video integration system.

<p>A nurse station serving 21-bed Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit utilizes advanced patient monitoring techniques combined with conventional direct nurse supervision.</p>

A nurse station serving 21-bed Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit utilizes advanced patient monitoring techniques combined with conventional direct nurse supervision.

<p>ICU patient rooms provide light-filled views of the surrounding landscape.</p>

ICU patient rooms provide light-filled views of the surrounding landscape.

<p>This arial photo of the campus shows the space constraints this client faced. The blue bands indicate the OR floors reconstructed in this phased project.</p>

This arial photo of the campus shows the space constraints this client faced. The blue bands indicate the OR floors reconstructed in this phased project.

<p>The project design included three new bridges between adjacent buildings. This created sufficient contiguous space for the program and opened up the 'empty chair' that simplified project phasing.</p>

The project design included three new bridges between adjacent buildings. This created sufficient contiguous space for the program and opened up the 'empty chair' that simplified project phasing.