The University of Minnesota Masonic Children鈥檚 Hospital is a vital center of care and connection on the Riverside campus, where the institution is focused on advancing pediatric care in a setting that supports both healing and innovation. The university sought to consolidate services from the east campus, create a strong identity for children鈥檚 care, and design a facility that would integrate patient care, education, and research while elevating the experience for patients, families, and staff. 麻花星空mv | Tsoi Kobus Design鈥檚 design accomplishes these goals by creating a family-centered environment that empowers care teams and invites discovery at every step.
The design provides a calming, developmentally appropriate environment for pediatric patients, adult visitors, and staff. The layout organizes care into four 24-bed neighborhoods, each anchored by decentralized workstations and med rooms to reduce walking distances and bring caregivers closer to patients. Every inpatient room is same-handed to reduce variation and improve safety. Natural light and visibility support wayfinding and wellbeing throughout, while an 鈥渙n-stage/off-stage鈥� circulation system ensures privacy and quiet in-patient corridors. The vibrant 鈥淧assport to Discovery鈥� theme uses cultural and ecological storytelling to encourage interaction, learning, and movement through the building. Each department is themed around an ecosystem and represented by an animal linked to medical research, creating a memorable identity for every care area. Together, these strategies deliver an environment where patient experience, staff performance, and discovery align to define excellence in pediatric care.
The new six-story inpatient tower added 319,500 SF to the Riverside campus and 96 private rooms with future expansion space for 32 additional beds. The facility also integrated a new Pediatric Emergency Department, expanded surgery and imaging departments, dialysis, radiation oncology, observation/sedation areas, and a 93,000-SF underground parking garage with 180 stalls. The design addressed the challenge of repetition by splitting the bed tower into two wings, separated by a central light zone that brings daylight deep into the building. Public-facing spaces included a welcoming entry pavilion, gift shop, coffee shop, family resource center, children鈥檚 reading room, and an outdoor healing garden. A central information desk and special event area provide orientation and community space for performances and puppet shows. Lean studies, including spaghetti diagrams, journaling, and pedometer tracking, informed design efficiencies to reduce waste and improve workflow. Staff walking distances were reduced from nine to five miles per shift, and travel studies informed the placement of med rooms, nourishment stations, and team stations throughout each unit. Inpatient floors were designed with modified racetrack layouts, divided into six-bed pods for more personalized care. Mock-ups guided design decisions for family amenities, lighting, and sightlines. Sustainable strategies prioritized daylight, low-emission materials, and energy-efficient systems, aligning with LEED Silver standards. 麻花星空mv | Tsoi Kobus Design provided architecture, interiors, planning, high-performance design, and equipment consulting services.
