Healthcare: Emergency

UCI Health opened the nation’s first all-electric acute care hospital in December of 2025 in Irvine, Calif. Designed by CO Architects, the 350,000-sf facility offers specialties in cardiology, oncology, digestive health, neurology, orthopedics, and spine care. A garden-level ‘mega-floor’ spanning 56,000 sf unites 15 standard operating rooms, five interventional procedure rooms, four advanced multispecialty interventional suites, and 64 pre-op and recovery beds.

Three projects designed by Stantec were shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival, which convened in Miami in November of 2025. 

SAC Health opened the Brier Campus in September of 2025 in San Bernardino, Calif. Designed by Perkins&Will, the $85 million outpatient facility is expected to accommodate 300,000 patient visits over the next five years to address regional health disparities. The five-story structure provides comprehensive primary care and specialty services, including internal medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics, dentistry, family medicine, ophthalmology, and women’s health.

Construction was completed in August of 2025 on the first phase of the redevelopment of Sydney Children's Hospital in Australia. Created in partnership with Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, the Children’s Cancer Institute (CCI), the federal government, and the government of New South Wales, the AUD 658 million ($429.9 million) project includes the construction of Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre to accelerate the translation of discoveries into clinical practice and improved patient outcomes. 

UCHealth is expanding the Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont, Colo., to foster improved patient outcomes and ensure the provision of high-level care in response to growing need in the surrounding community. Designed by Page, the three-part project will add 89,000 sf to the hospital campus and 35 beds, as well as 30,000 sf of interior renovation on the first three stories. The most recent phase comprised two new operating rooms, nine pre- and post-anesthesia care unit bays, three labor and delivery rooms, a caesarean-section room, and a helipad.

The University of Utah and University of Utah Health broke ground in June of 2025 on a dynamic medical destination in West Valley. Designed by MHTN Architects and CannonDesign, the $855 million project includes the construction of Eccles Hospital and the Eccles Health Campus. The 800,000-sf complex will expand access to world-class care, create new employment opportunities, and drive economic growth throughout the region.

Hospitals and healthcare systems are stepping up to manage difficult choices. COVID funds have expired, staff are difficult to find and expensive to hire, and reimbursements aren’t keeping up with inflation. For those who are planning new and renovated healthcare spaces, the focus is on becoming more labor- and cost-efficient, benefiting from technology-driven ways of delivering healthcare while not losing the personal, human touch.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is constructing a $1.9 billion inpatient tower in Columbus. Designed by HDR, the 26-story building will integrate exceptional environments for patient care with leading-edge facilities for research, medical education, and training. The 1.9 million-sf development will provide 820 private rooms equipped with sophisticated telehealth technologies and entertainment systems, with ample space for visiting family members.

University of Iowa Health Care opened the North Liberty campus in April of 2025 to improve patient access to world-class care and advance medical research and education. Designed by Neumann Monson Architects to offer a full range of musculoskeletal services, the 469,050-sf development accommodates the UI Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and UI Sports Medicine. In one three-story wing, a 30,000-sf hospital provides 36 inpatient beds, 12 operating rooms, two procedure rooms, and an emergency department with a Level IV trauma center.

Kaiser Permanente broke ground on the Railyards Medical Center in March of 2025 in Sacramento, Calif. Designed by SmithGroup, the 18-acre greenfield campus will act as a beacon for health and wellness that integrates premier amenities with the latest technologies. An eight-story, 662,000-sf hospital will anchor the complex and offer 310 beds, with 48 for intensive care. The structure will also provide 14 operating rooms, 70 emergency treatment bays, and a 38-bed birthing center with an eight-bed neonatal intensive care unit. 

Houston Methodist opened the $650 million Cypress Hospital campus in March of 2025. This vibrant medical destination was designed by Page to enhance health care access and features advanced technologies to maximize innovation. Offering nine imaging modalities, the seven-story, 570,000-sf facility provides 100 licensed beds, nine operating rooms, a critical care center, an emergency department, and a birthing center.

Plenary Health is partnering with Western Health and the Government of Victoria to construct a 1.6 million-gsf hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Designed by COX and Billard Leece Partnership, the world-class medical center will replace the existing Footscray Hospital, addressing increased regional demand and optimizing patient outcomes.

Lee Health broke ground in January of 2025 on a 416,000-sf acute care facility in Fort Myers that will replace Lee Memorial. Representing an investment of approximately $434 million, the five-story, 168-bed hospital will accommodate 10 inpatient operating rooms, a 44-bed emergency room, and 24 intensive care unit beds. Patient rooms will integrate the latest smart technology for connected care to optimize scheduling, clinical support, and personalized interventions.

Children’s Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center broke ground in October of 2024 on a $5 billion pediatric health campus in Dallas. Designed by Perkins&Will, HKS, and GSR Andrade Architects, the project will encompass more than 4.7 million sf of construction, including a new hospital as its centerpiece. The 552-bed structure will significantly expand inpatient, surgical, and ambulatory capacity with two 12-story towers and one eight-story tower.

Inova Health Center–Oakville opened in October of 2024 in the Potomac Yard neighborhood of Alexandria, Va. Designed by Ballinger and Ennead Architects, the 100,000-gsf facility represents the first phase of a regional initiative aimed at establishing unified clinical standards and operational flows across the system. Key rooms and spaces are consistent in multiple locations to increase efficiency and safety, resulting in improved patient care and outcomes.