October 19, 2006

Editor's Note: Please select the links to view or download three photographs of the NICU . Photo 1©, Photo 2©, Photo 3©, Photograph copyright: Dean J. Birinyi Architectural Photography

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — The neonatal intensive care unit at UC Davis Children's Hospital received an honorable mention from Modern Healthcare's 21st annual design awards. The awards were given today in Miami in conjunction with the American Institute of Architects' Academy of Architecture for Health annual meeting.

According to one of the competition judges, the design reflects the “rich, robust conversation that took place between the client and the architect and, as a result, the project had a good outcome.” The 2006 awards were sponsored by Modern Healthcare magazine and the American Institute of Architects' Academy of Architecture for Health.

Anthony Philipps, medical director of UC Davis Children's Hospital, said, “Time spent in the NICU can be one of the most trying times that a family faces. Some will stay for a short time, others for a few weeks or even months. For all of them, our new facilities provide more privacy for consultations with doctors, lactation consultants, health educators and other parents.”

Philipps also said that the new NICU represents well the hospital's commitment to family-centered care.

“This is a quiet, pristine environment with big windows, soft colors and etched glass,” he said. “We even have a room where parents can spend the night before their infants are released from the hospital, giving them the chance to gain confidence in taking care of their babies while their nurse and physician teams are still nearby.”

The judges praised the provisions afforded to parents and family members, including lockers, rocking chairs and access to a sleep room and family waiting space. Other family-friendly design features noted by judges are the warm colors and etched-glass imagery, in which the doors of each room feature newborn and grown versions of koalas, zebras, giraffes and other animals — personalizing each area and serving as a guide to visitors.

“The high point is that it's so balanced as a family-centered design — one that nurtures premature babies and families,” said one judge.

Of the 187 facilities that entered the competition this year, the judges gave two awards of excellence, four citations and six honorable mentions.

The project architect for the NICU was Chong Partners Architecture in Sacramento and the construction management firm was Jacobs Facilities in Sacramento. Construction of the new facilities was completed in August 2005.

The NICU encompasses 25,000 square feet and cost $9,157,000. Funding for the construction was provided through California's Children's Hospital Bond Act of 2004.

UC Davis Children's Hospital is the region's only comprehensive hospital for children. From primary care offices to specialty-care clinics, pediatric experts provide compassionate care to more than 74,000 children each year. The hospital's neonatal intensive care unit has 49 beds and serves more than 550 patients each year with the highest quality medical care available to meet the specific needs of fragile neonates.