Project Team Selected for New Behavioral Health Facility on Western State Hospital Campus in Washington

HOK has been selected to design a 350-bed behavioral health hospital in Lakewood, Washington, a Tacoma suburb. Built to augment and expand the capacity of the existing Western State Hospital, the reimagined facility will support the state’s vision of providing transformational healthcare to behavioral health patients. Clark Construction is serving as the general contractor.

The replacement hospital will serve forensic patients who enter care through the criminal court system, freeing other areas of the campus to serve civil patients.

The new hospital’s design directly enhances patient healing and supports the needs of staff to provide high-quality care. The building plan implements the therapy model while prioritizing transparency, biophilia and a holistic approach to treatment, balancing the needs of patients and providers for safety and security. To celebrate nature’s healing power, the building will be seamlessly integrated with the topography of the 216-acre campus. The buildings and landscape emphasize access to nature and daylight to improve programmatic function. Elevated walkways connect building spaces, floating above courtyards and providing connections to nature as patients and staff move throughout the campus.

Sustainability and energy efficiency are also critical considerations, with the goal of achieving net-zero energy and LEED Gold certification. In addition, the new hospital’s exterior materials are non-institutional in appearance with the goal of destigmatizing mental healthcare. A modular lattice veil across the façade creates a woven appearance and balances the brick and painted steel façades of downtown and neighborhood buildings, creating a rhythmic pattern.

The project is part of a master plan that includes several other facility improvements to the existing Western State Hospital campus.

Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2023, with completion by 2027.