Centrally located in the heart of Oklahoma City, the 65,000 square foot OU Children’s Hospital Atrium was designed to serve as a hub for the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, OU Medical Center, and the 28 additional health-related organizations that make up the Oklahoma Health Center campus. The Atrium was part of a $140 million project that included a total of five phases: 1 & 2) the new parking garage to the west of the Atrium; 3) the 14-story specialty pediatric medical office building adjacent to the Atrium; 4) the construction of the $30 million Atrium itself; and 5) the Education Center, located to the south of the Atrium.  

The OU Children’s Physicians Atrium is a nexus for gathering within the OU Children’s Hospital Facility.  This front door to the Children’s Hospital has become what it was envisioned as in the beginning – optimistic and whimsical – a face of hope for all who enter

ATRIUM
The primary design objective redirected the entry to the Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center from the more secluded east side to the more visible west side of the complex. The creation of a new formal entry and a new identity for the hospital required a comprehensive site redesign.

The central element of the OU Children’s Foundation logo – a kite – provided the overall design inspiration. The fluid movement of the kite ribbons gave rise to the Atrium’s undulating roofline and extended to the interior, where glass handrails at the edge of each floor act as ribbons, highlighting the building circulation. The circular, open design and curvilinear floor pattern creates the foundation for an environment of interaction among patients, doctors, and administrators.

The Atrium includes a rooftop garden designed to whisk a child's imagination away from the realities of the hospital. The Children's Village includes a stylized cityscape with shops and stands for pretend play, an open area with a stage for small gatherings (ideally suited for storytelling), whimsical natural landscaping interlaced with mock elements (i.e. flowers, grass) and a large “make believe” water feature on the south end of the garden. A significant amount of attention was given to the landscape selection to ensure the colors and textures accentuated the featured pretend elements all year-round.

MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING
The Medical Office Building at Children's Hospital provides one centralized location for patients and their families to visit physicians outside the hospital setting. The scope of work included 17 outpatient clinics, as well as several specialty service areas. 

SAMIS EDUCATION CENTER
The Samis Education Center is a five-story, 60,000 square foot education and conference center adjacent to the OU Children's Hospital facility. The multi-faceted facility is a nexus for learning and the advancement of the health and science industry in Oklahoma. The Samis Education Center features a 275-seat auditorium, teaming spaces and classrooms - all featuring state-of-the-art technology - which allow groups of various sizes to teach, meet or interact.