Sutter Health completes the first phase of its adaptive-reuse project comprising a six-building, 1 million-sf hub for patient care
In Santa Clara, Calif., Sutter Health’s adaptive-reuse transformation project has completed the first of two phases with the new Sutter Health Santa Clara East Campus.
Along with West Campus, which is scheduled to open in 2027, the project comprises a six-building, 1 million-sf hub for patient care. The development reimagines lightweight steel and wood-framed office structures as cutting-edge medical facilities.
HGA’s Adaptive Reuse Design Transforms Former Offices into Medical Facilities
Designed by HGA, East Campus provides comprehensive primary care as well as specialty services, ambulatory surgery center, imaging, regional lab, and urgent care. Across 50,000-sf floor plates, the building places urgent care, the lab, cardiology, and imaging on the first floor, with internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics on the second floor.
The large lobby draws daylight from the entryways and a central, double-height aquarium. A central waiting area offers diverse, durable, and comfortable seating opens. Clear wayfinding strategies, standardized layouts, and distinct color schemes support navigation and workflow. And the healthcare staff’s offices and breakrooms are located along the building’s glass perimeter, providing floor-to-ceiling views and natural light.
Advanced Acoustic and Safety Strategies for Sensitive Medical Uses
Given the campus’s location near an amusement park, the HGA design team collaborated with consultant Salter, Inc. to implement advanced vibration and sound isolation strategies, protecting sensitive imaging equipment. HGA also worked closely with city and fire officials to achieve the required fire-safety ratings for the building’s existing lightweight steel and wood-frame structures, materials not typically seen in healthcare design.
“Collaborating closely with Sutter Health and our project partners, we reimagined former tech offices into a healthcare hub that seamlessly blends advanced clinical services with the warmth and hospitality of a community space,” Karva Sykes, HGA Managing Principal and Project Manager, said in a statement.
Prefabrication Accelerates Construction on the Santa Clara Campus
The team also used prefabricated components, such as major interior wall systems, constructed offsite to help accelerate the project timeline.
The East and West Campus are part of Sutter Health’s larger program to open 27 new ambulatory surgery centers in Northern California by 2027.
On the project team: Sutter Health (owner), HGA (design architect and architect of record), Southland Industries and ArchKey Solutions (MEP engineers), HBS (medical equipment consultant), Buehler Engineering (structural engineer), DPR Construction (contractor).