Once the manufacturing site for the Apollo 13 spacecraft, the design of the new patient tower at Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center expands on its local history and merges technology and nature to create a humanistic, healing oasis for patients, providers, and visitors.

Integrating community with design, the exterior metal panel system and high-tech aesthetics pay homage to the site’s history, but is softened and complemented by its human scale and an organic healing garden visible from the street to enhance the urban experience for the community and welcome patients inside. Once inside, a calming, mural greats visitors at check-in and easy wayfinding directs them throughout the building. Light-filled, colorful waiting areas create a comfortable environment for patients and families. Full width and height windows in patient rooms bring in natural daylight and exterior views to encourage patient healing. The innovative, unitized curtain wall façade system provides optimal natural daylighting and comfortable outdoor spaces for site visitors. Sky terraces on each floor pop out from the façade to provide areas of respite immediately accessible to patients and caregivers. A new dedicated emergency department walk-in entry enhances wayfinding, allowing visitors easy access to the new addition. With more than 1,000 spaces, the new parking structure redistributes the parking populations throughout the campus to reduce overcrowding. The six-story tower addition provides enhanced functionality to the existing medical campus through its innovative care environment and embodies Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to shape the future of health care.