CLEVELAND, OH — Interdisciplinary design firm HGA announces the completion of MetroHealth System’s replacement hospital, The Glick Center, in Cleveland, Ohio. HGA reimagined the master plan of MetroHealth’s campus transformation, and led the planning, architecture, interior design, and engineering of the 11-story acute care hospital. MetroHealth’s main campus is in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood, a community MetroHealth has served for more than 150 years. MetroHealth’s transformational campus plan emphasizes diversity, population health and research-based care. The new inpatient tower is cost-effective, sustainable, and patient focused. When the campus is complete, it will be grounded in a restored, natural urban setting.

More than eight years ago, in April 2014, Dr. Akram Boutros, MetroHealth President and CEO, announced plans for a new main campus hospital, financed by $946 million in hospital-revenue bonds and a $150 million fundraising campaign to support the campus’ expanded green space and community programs. And it was more than three years ago that the replacement patient tower — now named The Glick Center — broke ground.

The first EcoDistrict-certified hospital in the United States, MetroHealth represents a paradigm shift in how a health care facility can lead a neighborhood revitalization that focuses on health equity and community well-being. HGA and MetroHealth collaborated with many local partners and residents from the community to make the most meaningful, positive impact on Clark-Fulton. The medical center emphasizes research-based care within a ‘hospital in a park’ setting that connects patients, visitors, and staff to the health benefits of nature.

The design of the building drew inspiration from historical photos of the first hospital, which had originally been set in a park. The white terracotta exterior façade reflects the traditional material used on the MetroHealth Hospital at the beginning of the twentieth century and was reimagined using contemporary building methods. The cladding system was prefabricated on the ground and hung from a unitized curtain wall system, making assembly safer and faster. The wave-like profile of the terracotta panels echoes the nearby Lake Erie and Cuyahoga River. The narrow end of the inpatient tower orients towards the residential Clark-Fulton neighborhood to reduces its visual impact and scale.

“Recognizing the importance of the Clark-Fulton neighborhood, we worked closely with MetroHealth and numerous partners to design and build a stunning hospital that blends arts and health, and will evolve with future innovations in clinical technology and advances in care,” said Mark Bultman, Principal on the project, and HGA’s Healthcare Market Sector Leader.