ALLEN, Texas—The architects of Intuitive Health’s flagship brand, Legacy ER & Urgent Care – Allen, 5G Studio Collaborative, announced recently they were recognized by The Dallas Architecture Forum as the recipient of the Best Health and Wellness Architecture Award as part of their 25th Anniversary Design Recognition program, themed “Looking Back – Looking Forward.”

The Dallas Architecture Forum’s 25th-anniversary celebration acknowledged the 25 most meaningful and influential architecture projects across North Texas over the past 25 years. An international jury of esteemed architects carefully evaluated submissions and selected 25 winners in various categories, including healthcare architecture. The Dallas Architecture Forum’s commitment to an impartial evaluation was evident, with none of the jurists hailing from North Texas, thus ensuring a fair and unbiased selection process.

Legacy ER & Urgent Care, known for its innovative approach to healthcare, created the first dual ER and urgent care model under one roof in Texas. The 8,500-square-foot state-of-the-art location in Allen, Texas, was the second location for Legacy ER & Urgent Care and was built from the ground up to support this visionary concept. The architect and interior designer for the Allen location was 5G Studio Collaborative, led by Yen Ong, FAIA. The facility opened in 2013 and is located at 1310 West Exchange Parkway, Allen, Texas, 75013.

Designed to embody the essence of Legacy ER & Urgent Care, the architecture was crafted to convey the dual nature of emergency medical professionals artistically. On one hand, it outwardly signifies attributes such as knowledge, skill, precision and decisiveness, essential for proficient emergency medical care. On the other hand, it inwardly reflects the compassionate, empathetic and humanistic qualities that define the individuals behind the medical attire.

The building’s profile reimagines traditional rooflines, introducing a new design language. Perforated panels on the exterior provide diffused lighting and passive solar shading. With a strong nod to environmentally conscious design, zinc was chosen for its sustainability and resilience in Texas weather.

The architecture skillfully incorporated Evidence-Based Design principles into its spatial layout, circulation and sensory elements while maintaining a balance to avoid an overly clinical appearance. Strategically positioned skylights facilitated intuitive wayfinding throughout the facility. Workspaces were thoughtfully designed to encourage peer collaboration, ensure patient accessibility and protect data privacy. Patient care areas were created with a focus on welcoming hospitality and treatment efficiency to minimize medication administration errors. Additionally, the well-being of medical staff in their off-stage environment was a priority. The staff lounge and office areas are connected by a sunlit double-height space, offering access to a balcony discreetly nestled under the zinc roof.

“We are humbled by The Dallas Architecture Forum’s recognition of Legacy ER & Urgent Care at Allen as one of twenty-five most significant projects in North Texas that were built within the past 25 years,” said Ong. “The project embodies our studio’s best ideals and represents the rarest kind of architectural achievement that was enabled by a forward-thinking client like Dr. Woody, who empowered an architect to do the right thing in service of the patients and the staff alike.”

Jay Woody, MD, FACEP, ABEM, Founder of Legacy ER & Urgent Care and Chief Medical Officer of Intuitive Health, reminisced about their early collaboration with 5G Studio Collaborative, stating, “At the time we brought 5G Studio Collaborative on board, both our companies were in their infancy. We ventured into this partnership together, and our brands have seen extraordinary ten-fold growth.” He added, “Just as Legacy ER & Urgent Care redefines how people access healthcare, 5G Studio Collaborative has redefined healthcare architecture, enhancing the patient experience while remaining true to our core values and mission. We extend our heartfelt thanks to 5G and Yen Ong for their partnership, bringing us to where we are today.”

Architects: 5G Studio Collaborative

Architectural Team: Yen Ong, Paul Merrill, Josh Allen, Christine Robbins, Danielle Cross (interior design) Area: 8432 ft²

Year: 2013

Manufacturers: MetalTech-USA, Seves Glassblock, VIGO Industries

Interior Designer: 5G Studio Collaborative

Structural Engineer: Datum Engineers

MEP Engineer: Jordan & Skala Engineers

Civil Engineer: RLK Engineering

Landscape Architect: SMR Landscape Architects

General Contractor: UEB Builders

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SAN ANGELO, Texas—Hoar Construction announced recently the expansion of the west bed tower at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, Texas, a key component of a broader, multi-million-dollar capital improvement program that is helping to modernize and expand healthcare services for the residents of San Angelo and surrounding communities. The project recently broke ground and is expected to be completed in Summer 2024. Construction of the bed tower marks the first time a tower crane has been used for a project within San Angelo’s city limits.

The seven-story, bed tower is an expansion of the existing 1,536,000-square-foot hospital located on East Harris Avenue in downtown San Angelo. Construction consists of three floors of concrete parking garage underneath four floors of patient care space. On the third floor will be an 19,310-square-foot Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the fourth floor will be patient rooms and the fifth and sixth floors will have shell spaces to be built out in the future.

“This project will further enhance the healthcare offerings in San Angelo and elevate Shannon Medical Center’s ability to provide top-quality care and services to a much larger pool of local patients,” said Bradley Barr, senior superintendent at Hoar. “The hospital is at 100% capacity for the majority of the year, which necessitates detailed planning and coordination to ensure that daily operations which are vital to patient care are not impaired in any way. Hoar’s proven track record and expertise in managing major hospital expansions and renovations, along with our strong local ties and understanding of the community, will ensure we deliver a facility of the highest quality for the patients and staff of SMC.”

Approximately 8,609 cubic yards of concrete will be used for the project, along with 790 tons of rebar.

The project will also incorporate elements of modular construction, with 40 bathrooms being assembled in an off-site warehouse in New Braunfels. Once complete, the bathroom pods will be shipped directly to the job site for easy installation, saving the project a significant amount of time.

The 168-foot-high crane first appeared on site early January and will continue to aid in construction until the concrete structure is completed.

“As a native of San Angelo, it’s been personally rewarding to play a part in the continued expansion of Shannon Medical Center,” said Garrett Wheat, project manager at Hoar. “There’s been a lot of excitement and anticipation around town about the crane, which will add a compelling feature to our skyline. Hoar is proud to invest our resources in this community and will continue to take an active role in building facilities that will add value and make a lasting impact for the generations to come.”

In February 2020, after more than 20 unique phases of construction, Hoar completed the east bed tower expansion and renovation project at Shannon Medical Center, which also spanned 7 stories and included an 8,000-square-foot ICU and 26,000 square feet of interior renovations. In both projects, strategic techniques were used in the initial planning stages to maximize efficiency, cut costs and ensure patient and staff safety throughout construction.

Additional project partners include O’Connell Robertson as the architect and MEP engineer and Datum Engineers as the structural engineer.

Hoar Construction has established itself as one of America’s leading healthcare builders, completing over $335 million in healthcare projects over the past 10 years. Within Texas, Hoar has also served as the general contractor on a 72-bed pediatric hospital expansion associated with the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas; the new 170,000 square-foot Uvalde Memorial Hospital in Uvalde, Texas; and the six-story patient tower and 35,000 square feet of renovations for Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, Texas. They’ve also built rehabilitation hospitals at Shannon Medical Center and in Lubbock, Texas, and Hobbs, New Mexico, and have completed a previous expansion to Abilene Regional Medical Center.

Tower Crane FAQ:

This tower crane is 150-feet-tall to allow the 250-foot-long jib to safely swing over nearby buildings, and whistles are used as signals to notify workers and those nearby that a load is being carried overhead. Special fencing is in place to allow for deliveries to the crane and keep pedestrians safely out of the way. Once work with the crane is done for the day, it is put in “weather vane” mode, which is an additional safety measure to ensure excessive wind loads are not imposed on the vertical column.

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