A new 521,000 sf, 350-bed behavioral health hospital in Lakewood, Wash., a Tacoma suburb, will serve forensic patients who enter care through the criminal court system, freeing other areas of campus to serve civil patients. The facility at Western State Hospital, to be designed by HOK, will promote a holistic approach to rehabilitation as part of the state’s vision for transforming behavioral health.
The design will prioritize transparency, biophilia, and a holistic treatment approach, balancing safety and security for patients and providers. To incorporate nature’s healing power, the building will be seamlessly integrated with the topography of the 216-acre campus. Access to nature and daylight is intended to improve programmatic function. Elevated walkways floating above courtyards will connect building spaces and provide connections to nature as patients and staff move through the campus.
Sustainability and energy efficiency are also critical design considerations, with the goal of achieving net-zero energy and LEED gold certification. The hospital’s exterior materials will create a non-institutional appearance with the aim of destigmatizing mental healthcare. A modular lattice veil across the façade will create a woven look and balance the brick and painted steel facades of downtown and neighborhood buildings, creating a rhythmic pattern.
“Our design supports the healing, rehabilitation and care of forensic behavioral health patients in ways that challenge more traditional, institutional design solutions,” said Loren Supp, Principal in HOK’s Seattle studio and lead designer for the project. “The new hospital will serve as a model for cities across the country, highlighting the necessity of investing in progressive mental and behavioral health services, programs, and facilities to ensure the best long-term outcomes for vulnerable populations.”
The project is part of a master plan that includes several other facility improvements to the existing Western State Hospital campus.
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2023, with completion anticipated by 2027.
Owner: WDSHS and DES
Design Architect: HOK
Architect of Record: HOK
Associate Architect: Architecture +
MEP Engineer: AEI
Structural Engineer: KPFF
General Contractor/Construction Manager: Clark Construction Group
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Jan 22, 2024
Top 100 Outpatient Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
HDR, CannonDesign, Stantec, Perkins&Will, and ZGF top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest outpatient facility architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes design revenue for work related to outpatient medical buildings, including cancer centers, heart centers, urgent care facilities, and other medical centers.
Giants 400 | Jan 22, 2024
Top 40 Outpatient Facility Engineering Firms for 2023
Jacobs, IMEG, TLC Engineering Solutions, KPFF Consulting Engineers, and Syska Hennessy Group head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest outpatient facility engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes design revenue for work related to outpatient medical buildings, including cancer centers, heart centers, urgent care facilities, and other medical centers.
Giants 400 | Jan 22, 2024
Top 60 Outpatient Facility Construction Firms for 2023
DPR Construction, PCL Construction Enterprises, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, Skanska USA, and Power Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest outpatient facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes construction revenue for work related to outpatient medical buildings, including cancer centers, heart centers, urgent care facilities, and other medical centers.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Jan 17, 2024
Waterproofing deep foundations for new construction
This continuing education course, by Walter P Moore's Amos Chan, P.E., BECxP, CxA+BE, covers design considerations for below-grade waterproofing for new construction, the types of below-grade systems available, and specific concerns associated with waterproofing deep foundations.
Healthcare Facilities | Jan 16, 2024
A new mental health center in Miami offers alternatives to incarceration
The seven-story building has 208 beds.
Giants 400 | Jan 15, 2024
Top 90 Hospital Facility Construction Firms for 2023
Turner Construction, Brasfield & Gorrie, JE Dunn Construction, McCarthy Holdings, and STO Building Group top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest hospital facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Jan 15, 2024
Top 80 Hospital Facility Engineering Firms for 2023
Jacobs, WSP, BR+A, IMEG, and AECOM head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest hospital facility engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Jan 15, 2024
Top 130 Hospital Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
HKS, HDR, Stantec, CannonDesign, and Page Southerland Page top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest hospital facility architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Healthcare Facilities | Jan 7, 2024
Two new projects could be economic catalysts for a central New Jersey city
A Cancer Center and Innovation district are under construction and expected to start opening in 2025 in New Brunswick.
Designers | Jan 3, 2024
Designing better built environments for a neurodiverse world
For most of human history, design has mostly considered “typical users” who are fully able-bodied without clinical or emotional disabilities. The problem with this approach is that it offers a limited perspective on how space can positively or negatively influence someone based on their physical, mental, and sensory abilities.
