Jun 17, 2022 _ news

In the News: GBBN’s Novak Center Featured in China’s Contemporary Architecture Magazine

China’s Contemporary Architecture magazine recently asked us to share with their readers the story and design details for Norton Healthcare’s Novak Center for Children’s Health. Not only does the Novak Center co-locate 19 different pediatric specialties into a project footprint in a tight urban site in downtown Louisville, but the design is also a bold departure from the Brutalist buildings that surround it. Designed for children without being childish, the Novak Center features softly curving edges—reminiscent of how a child might draw a building—along with a resilient terracotta façade in bright colors to create a pediatric health center that feels approachable.

“This publication was looking for examples of new construction healthcare projects that make the most of a tight urban site,” explains GBBN Principal Wenjie Xie, who collaborated on the article with GBBN colleagues Angela Mazzi and Matthew Schottelkotte. “This project is a great example of how constraints, like a tight site, can inspire thoughtful, innovative design.”

Co-locating specialties eases the burden on families who often have multiple appointments in one day and may be traveling from rural areas. The building incorporates outdoor terraces and, at every opportunity, views into the building to help demystify what goes on inside. The building’s unique pedestrian bridge from the parking garage also uses the tight site to its advantage and provides positive distractions for patients and families as they arrive for appointments.

Access the full article here.

Read our full case study on the Norton Healthcare Novak Center for Children’s Health here.

Learn more about the center’s one-of-a-kind pedestrian bridge here.

Learn more about our healthcare work here.