Chicago's 342,000-sf Cook County Hospital building, completed in 1914, sat vacant since 2002 and had fallen into a severe state of disrepair. The building was under threat of being demolished before SOM led a design-build collaboration for general contractor Walsh Construction, with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, and interior designers KOO, to preserve, restore, and adapt the former hospital building to meet the changing needs of the neighborhood.
The reimagined building now includes a new hotel, a food hall, medical offices, and community spaces and is the first phase of a proposed $1 billion redevelopment plan for the area. The building also includes a museum space that will showcase the important role the hospital played for the city and in the field of medicine.
Image © Dave Burk | SOM.
Restoration work focused first on repairing the neoclassical-style exterior by replacing more than 4,500 pieces of terra cotta on the facade. A sliver-thin canopy of steel and glass marks the entrance of the building and replaces a former bulky addition that diminished the integrity of the facade.
Image © Dave Burk | SOM.
Interior restoration included restoring the lobby to its original height of 25 feet. Original red terrazzo flooring and ornate Beaux-Arts molding evokes the building’s original grandeur and contemporary artwork, lighting, and finishes signal a new chapter in the building’s history.
See also: SOM-designed waterfront neighborhood will include 1,045-foot-tall tower
“We didn’t just want to preserve the old Cook County Hospital--we wanted to bring it back to its former glory, from the facade to the original Beaux-Arts masonry detailing and terra cotta ornamentation,” said Brian Lee, SOM Consulting Partner, in a release. “The restored historic volume and finishes in the main lobby bring the original grand entrance back to life, establishing a new entrypoint for the community.”
Before and after; top image © SOM; bottom image © Dave Burk | SOM.
The food hall is located to the left of the lobby. It provides a bright and engaging space with 12 local vendors that are primarily women- or minority-owned businesses. Additional amenity spaces include an expansive bar and lounge space with views through restored wood-framed windows.
The hotel takes advantage of the building’s relatively thin footprint and includes 210 hotel rooms filled with natural light. The rooms include unique layouts with contemporary art and decor. Some of the more unusual spaces within the former hospital, including lofty operating rooms and bands with windows on the eighth floor, were turned into distinctive guest rooms.
Before and after; top image © Walsh Group; bottom image © Dave Burk | SOM.
Related Stories
Mixed-Use | Apr 26, 2022
Downtown Phoenix to get hundreds of residential and student housing units
In fast-growing Phoenix, Arizona, a transit-oriented development called Central Station will sit adjacent to Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus.
Mixed-Use | Apr 22, 2022
San Francisco replaces a waterfront parking lot with a new neighborhood
A parking lot on San Francisco’s waterfront is transforming into Mission Rock—a new neighborhood featuring rental units, offices, parks, open spaces, retail, and parking.
Wood | Apr 13, 2022
Mass timber: Multifamily’s next big building system
Mass timber construction experts offer advice on how to use prefabricated wood systems to help you reach for the heights with your next apartment or condominium project.
Office Buildings | Apr 11, 2022
SOM-designed office tower aims to promote health and wellness
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) recently completed work on 800 Fulton Market, a new mixed-use office building in Chicago’s historic Fulton Market/West Loop neighborhood.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 29, 2022
Here’s why the U.S. needs more ‘TOD’ housing
Transit-oriented developments help address the housing affordability issue that many cities and suburbs are facing.
Multifamily Housing | Feb 24, 2022
First new, mixed-use high-rise in Detroit’s central business district in nearly 30 years opens
City Club Apartments completed two multifamily projects in 2021 in downtown Detroit including the first new, mixed-use high-rise in Detroit’s central business district in nearly 30 years.
Office Buildings | Feb 23, 2022
The Beam on Farmer, Arizona’s first mass timber, multi-story office building tops out
The Beam on Farmer, Arizona’s first mass timber, multi-story office building, topped out on Feb. 10, 2022.
Mixed-Use | Feb 9, 2022
David Chipperfield Architects to design Schützenstraße mixed-use development in Munich
The firm recently won a competition for the project.
Mixed-Use | Jan 13, 2022
Details unveiled for Atlanta’s Campus 244 mixed-use development
S9 Architecture is designing the project.
Mixed-Use | Jan 10, 2022
Mixed-use Arsenal Yards completes in Watertown’s East End
PCA master-planned the seven-building, one million sf destination and designed the urban village, residences, and open spaces.