Nearly half of all adults report that the prospect of tests, procedures or bad news in hospitals and doctors’ offices makes them anxious, and one-third will avoid care altogether. UCI Health – Irvine is redesigning the hospital environment to reduce that anxiety, using natural light, intuitive layouts and thoughtful design. The goal is to help patients feel calmer, support caregivers and foster healing on every level.
Design That Calms
Traditional hospitals can feel labyrinthine and confusing. UCI Health – Irvine’s design team, led by associate vice chancellor Brian Pratt, worked closely with UCI Health, Hensel Phelps and CO Architects to create a facility that reflects the future of healthcare. The result is a space that combines advanced technology, human-centered design, light, nature and sustainable systems. “We didn’t want this to feel like just another hospital,” says Brian Pratt, associate vice chancellor for design & construction services and campus architect. “From the very beginning, our UCI design and construction team worked closely with UCI Health, Hensel Phelps and CO Architects to create a hospital that reflects where healthcare is headed. By combining advanced technology, human-centered design, light, nature, and sustainable systems, we’ve created an environment that helps patients feel calmer, supports caregivers, and fosters healing on every level.”
At the heart of the hospital is an innovative surgical megafloor located on the garden level, serving as a hub between the main hospital and the adjacent cancer center. The megafloor’s large, flexible operating rooms can accommodate virtually any procedure at any time, reducing delays and improving responsiveness. Consolidation of surgical services also enhances safety; surgeons have immediate access to necessary equipment, nurses stay at the bedside, and anesthesiologists can devote more time to pain management.
Nature and Art in Healing
Cold, harsh lighting can trigger discomfort and anxiety. UCI Health – Irvine maximizes natural light with floor-to-ceiling windows in all patient rooms and uses warm, soft light throughout the building. The design integrates nature into every space, creating serene environments that promote recovery. The UCI Health – Irvine complex features more than 1,500 artworks, including California impressionist landscapes and locally commissioned pieces that reflect Southern California scenes. The collection was intentionally curated to soften the clinical environment and provide calming, restorative spaces for patients, loved ones and staff. Research shows that images of nature calm the mind, reduce heart rate and promote relaxation, especially when combined with natural light and thoughtful design.
Integrated Landscape and Views
One of the most remarkable features of UCI Health – Irvine is the surrounding landscape featuring the protected San Joaquin Marsh Reserve. Decades of research demonstrate that exposure to nature, even through a window, can decrease pain, reduce anxiety and shorten hospital stays. Patient rooms and common spaces are oriented to incorporate views of greenery, the marsh and the horizon, while gardens, walking paths and open-air seating offer patients and families the chance to step outside and decompress. “A wonderful thing in the planning and design here is the concept of the healing environment and how it is weaved in through the entire campus,” says Josephine Jorge-Reyes, PhD, MSN, vice president of nursing at the new hospital. “The ability to look out of large windows and see the sun, the marsh and nature is so critical for our patients and their healing.”
Key Takeaways
- Nearly half of adults feel anxious about hospital visits; UCI Health – Irvine addresses this with design.
- The megafloor centralizes surgical services, improving safety and efficiency.
- Views of the San Joaquin Marsh Reserve and a curated art collection create a healing environment that research supports.
By reimagining hospital design, UCI Health – Irvine sets a new standard for modern care: compassionate, intuitive and human-centered, proving that the environment can be as vital to healing as the medicine itself.
