UW Health Eastpark Medical Center
Madison, Wis.
BEST PROJECT
Presented by IMAGE
Owner: Health of the UW
Principal Design Firm, Structural Engineer: HKS
General contractor: JP Cullen | mortenson
Civil Engineer: Ruekert-Mielke
MEP: IMAGE
Landscape architect: Hitchcock Design Group
Opening in October 2024, this project is the largest medical construction project in the United States of the year. The 480,000 square meter facility consists of interconnected north and south towers and a parking garage. It anchors the eastern gateway to University of Wisconsin Health and integrates oncology, women’s health and multispecialty clinics into a pioneering ambulatory care model.
The project used multiple pre-made features that saved time and money. Above all, 663 prefabricated panels totaling more than 28.5 million pounds were manufactured for the parking structure, with a pre-programmed automated CNC machine creating the frame. This allowed for the creation of a high-end product with a complex and precise frame that blends perfectly with the complex architecture of the campus. The team also used a ballasted roof system at select roof levels, which improved installation speed, reduced weather risk and generated cost savings that UW Health reinvested in green roof elements to improve the patient experience.
Photo by Angie McMonigal Photography
The project faced a wide range of other challenges, including integrating numerous and diverse specialty clinics to support collaboration and workflow between medical disciplines.
The project team used various physical mock-ups and simulations to design and implement a repeatable and scalable clinical module. This module design reduced the need for physical alterations and their associated costs. Another challenge was maintaining the quality of the design while meeting the budget. The team established a clear target budget early in the design process and decisions were made throughout the project to address market changes, inflation and supply chain volatility.
Photo by Angie McMonigal Photography
Midway through construction, the team was asked to integrate two major additions, a new proton therapy building and an MRI suite, which they resolved through a robust change management process and ongoing pull planning sessions to seamlessly incorporate these changes.
Photo by Angie McMonigal Photography
Overall, the result is a campus designed to be the first healthcare facility in the US to meet LEED v4 certification.
