VA Palo Alto Medical Center, Radiology Center

Project highlights: VA Palo Alto Medical Center, Radiology Center

• Architecture firm:  SmithGroup
• Owner:  U.S Department of Veterans Affairs
• Location: Palo Alto, Calif.
• Category: B
• Project Site: Previously developed
• Building program type(s):  Healthcare - hospital inpatient

• To advance the Veterans Administration’s mission of providing compassionate care for the nation’s veterans, this addition to the VA Palo Alto Medical Center consolidates and modernizes its diagnostic imaging programs. To better serve those who have served, this 35,000-square-foot facility provides a new reception area, space for two advanced MRIs, two CTs, and five ultrasound rooms. Throughout the expansion, nature and light have been brought into a very technical process, an idea applicable across healthcare design.

  Palo Alto’s VA campus was established in 1960 to serve Northern California’s veterans. To meet the growing needs of this population, many of whom have experienced life-altering injuries, the campus is in the midst of a decade-long transformation to provide advanced care in a modern setting. This project consolidates the hospital’s imaging facilities into one identifiable building.

  Sitting at the southeast corner of the main hospital, the expansion replaces a surface parking lot and provides seamless connections to inpatient, outpatient, and emergency services. Its design concept draws inspiration from the technology contained within and leverages layered materials and slices of light to shape a serene environment for veterans undergoing treatment. 

Mirroring a new research building across the street, the expansion complements the main hospital and surrounding campus through its expression of clean lines and simple planes. Roof visibility is a key element of the expansion’s design, and its screening reduces solar gain, contains a photovoltaic array, and shields the mechanical systems to ensure pleasant views from the patient rooms that look onto it.

Medical image scanning methods prompted the concept of slicing the building with cross-cuts to bring controlled natural and simulated light into the entry, corridor, and treatment areas. CT and MRI exams are typically conducted in dark, enclosed spaces, and providing a sense of calm and openness to such spaces can be particularly soothing for veterans who have experienced trauma. Natural textures that echo the character of the surrounding Palo Alto hills, adjacent healing gardens, and other sensory-rich environments enhance the healing process through their engagement with nature.

For the typical patient, diagnostic imaging can be uncomfortable and stressful. MRI scans require them to lie motionless in a loud, enclosed chamber for up to 90 minutes. It can be more difficult for veterans with high levels of anxiety, PTSD, or traumatic brain injuries. Through a human-centered approach to architecture, which applies empathy and research to improve the patient experience, the team has helped alleviate stress for a population with heightened needs.