Cary Hospital Patient Tower Vertical Expansion

The WakeMed Cary Hospital is a 2-story vertical expansion that adds 40 acute-care beds to the existing hospital and adds shell space for future growth. As the third addition to the existing bed tower, both the exterior and interior design blend WakeMed’s branding with the existing hospital aesthetic while making improvements that enhance the patient and caregiver experience.

The design team worked with the client to reevaluate their inpatient unit needs resulting in a change to the footprint rather than simply duplicating the existing Level 3. Changes to the building form allowed for a daylit gathering space for visitors coming off the new elevators, six nursing “neighborhoods” focused on limiting care team steps and maximized focus on patient care. Uniform patient rooms have 25% more usable area than existing rooms and have floor-to-ceiling windows.

This project includes two new visitor elevators centrally located within the expansion, which trigger a renovation aspect that touches all levels of the existing hospital. This includes new finishes for main public corridors emphasizing wayfinding to and from the main entrance and cafeteria, enclosing a double-height atrium on Levels 2 and 3, and redesigning visitor arrival and waiting areas for ICU and existing med/surg inpatient units.

Transforming the experience of those who visit the hospital, the interior design provides a welcoming, hospitality-like environment without compromising the safety or performance of the space.  Wood features, terrazzo-look flooring, saturated accent colors, and textured wall protection enhance the user experience.

BSA was hired in 2005 to design the initial vertical expansion of this facility.

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