American Family Children’s Hospital

Project of the Year: Health Care

The American Family Children’s Hospital will cater to the unique needs of pediatric patients and families.

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It will bring the latest advances of stem-cell research, gene therapy and image-guided therapies to a child’s bedside.

In addition to provided quality medical care, other goals involve creating a cheerful atmosphere with increased accommodations, including larger inpatient rooms, pediatric intensive care unit and childhood cancer unit.

The facility is intended to be a visually appealing environment, with activity and play space for patients and siblings and places for families to rest, cook and reflect quietly.

Has Town Square

The space is reminiscent of a town square typical of a Wisconsin community and includes the Pierce Family Theater, a place to sit and watch a film; Tyler’s Place, a center providing supervised care for siblings of patients adjacent to a replica of the Fond du Lac Lighthouse; and the Family Resource Center, a library-like facility where families can learn, use computers, check e-mail and meet other families.

Several unique features make up the facility, including the Friends of University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics Positive Image center.

Believed to be the only one in the nation, the facility allows children to ease their anxiety and appearance-altering illnesses or procedures. Using wigs, hats and makeup, the facility will support each child in a way that responds to his or her needs.

Other unique features include the Robert and Jean Rennebohm Special Procedures Clinic; the Sub-Zero Foundation Skyway and “Shape the Way” Bridge to the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics; pediatric specialty clinics; pediatric intensive care unit; and 24 general care inpatient rooms.

The rooms are more double the size of those in the previous pediatric hospital. Patients and families will have a desk, phone, Internet access and patient-controlled TV/DVD units. Each room is also equipped with a private bathroom and sleeping accommodations for a parent.

Building information modeling technology was used to create a model of the entire UW Hospital & Clinics campus during preconstruction to simulate the emergency Med Flight patterns in association with crane paths. Some flights landed at the temporary landing area constructed because of the project.

Constant communication was maintained with the Med Flight staff to shut down crane operations until helicopters were cleared.

The hospital was built in an existing parking lot adjacent to the UW Hospital & Clinics and its loading dock road. Access to the site was limited due to the need to keep loading docks functional.

Jury Comments: “What is the most dreaded place for a child to go? A hospital. This is not severe. They did a nice job to try to relieve the stress for a child. It’s like a street scene. It’s got a lot of interesting elements for a kids’ hospital. This is a nice shot in the arm for the campus. The other nice thing is that BIM software was used.”

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