The system was so efficient that the
engineer decided to keep it in place
permanently.
Timely completion of the poured-
in-place concrete for the parking
deck was critical to maintaining the
41-month project schedule, since
the two floors of the Heart Hospital
are situated on top of the deck.
The building was designed to
meet the new International
Building Code (IBC), which meant
additional steel and concrete
reinforcing--and additional
inspections throughout the course
of the project.
2
I
t began in 1996, with a vision
for a hospital dedicated to cardiac
care that would promote healing
by providing its patients a calm,
soothing environment, along with
the best cardiac services available
in the region. Hospital planners
at Palmetto Health Richland in
Columbia, South Carolina felt
there were four elements that
would make their new facility
extraordinary: Passion, Foundation,
Design, and Knowledge.
At Palmetto Health Heart Hospital,
they created such a place--along
with the help of KMD Architects
and Rodgers Builders. The 200,000-
square-foot hospital is the first
free-standing heart hospital in
South Carolina, and incorporates
healing elements of nature
throughout its design, including
interior courtyards so every patient
room has a view of the outdoors,
and patterns of flowing water that
are designed into carpets, tile,
fountains, and furnishings.
Attached to the Heart Hospital is a
100,000-square-foot medical office
building, and a central energy plant
that provides heating and cooling
to the hospital by way of a utility
tunnel. The Heart Hospital sits atop
a four-level, 600-car parking deck.
Challenges on the project began
with sitework. Due to the sloping
grade of the site, at one corner
the parking deck's four levels are
underground, while at the opposite
end the first floor is at ground level.
The slope required shoring to be in
place for installation of the caissons,
grade beams, and the slab-on-
grade.
The lowest level of the parking deck
is 30 feet below the water table, so
a temporary dewatering system
was put into place during sitework.
Heart hospital fulfills ten-year vision
Cardiac patients receive care in calming environment
(continued next page)
Above: With shoring in place,
work begins on the caissons and
foundations.
Below: Workers pour concrete for a
grade beam.
South Carolina's first free-standing heart
hospital opened on January 11, 2006.
Above: Palmetto trees line the entry
drive to the Heart Hospital, with the
atrium entrance as the focal point.
Below: Waves illustrating the healing
properties of water are represented in the
tile and seating patterns, while Purple
Martins soar from the mobile overhead.
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