A Mission to Provide Quality Care
Marian Regional Medical Center is a sole-provider hospital serving the growing population in the surrounding California Central Coast. With outdated patient rooms that were more than 40 years old, semi-private, and in desperate need of replacement, Dignity Health decided to engage in the design of a new four-story expansion.
The 239,560-square-foot addition to Marian Regional Medical Center provides 181 state-of-the-art inpatient beds. In addition to increased capacity, the expansion also replaces outdated pharmacy and nutritional services, and allows Marian to double their current emergency department (ED) capacity with a new ED.
We organized the inpatient care units using a four-bed “cluster” concept that allows staff to remain closer to the patient and improves operating efficiency. Each cluster is equipped with its own work counter, charting station, and clean/soiled linen support areas. To optimize operational flexibility in response to clinical variations in bed need, this project provides swing-bed capability by allowing Marian to “move” bed clusters between inpatient units.
The dramatic building image was influenced by the indigenous California Mission Style prevalent in Santa Maria and along California’s central coast. The main entrance is expressed through two monumental towers that rise above the four-story facade and articulate the primary facility access. We also incorporated owner initiatives into the hospital design to enhance elements that promote a therapeutic healing environment, patient safety, and sustainable design.
