Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion Expands Access to Personalized, Safe Care

Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion is now open at Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota campus in southwest Florida. The 82-bed, 95,000-square-foot facility replaces the health system’s older psychiatric hospital across the street, enhancing, expanding and centralizing inpatient and outpatient care for people affected by mental and behavioral health challenges.

In addition to intake space and outpatient services, the pavilion includes four inpatient units dedicated to specific patient populations: a 16-bed geriatric unit, a 20-bed acute care unit, a 24-bed adult unit and a 22-bed adolescent unit. Front-of-house and back-of-house circulation emphasizes safety for both patients and staff, and standardized floorplans enhance efficiency. While the units are similar in layout, unique colors, finishes and artwork on each floor give each space a unique identity.

To maximize natural light in the facility’s inpatient rooms, the design team increased the ceiling height to allow for larger windows. Additionally, glass partitions around staff and social spaces allow light further into the building, while also enhancing sightlines. Promoting dignity and independence, inpatient rooms allow patients who stay overnight to control the temperature and mood lighting in their room, open and close their blinds, and certain patient populations have access to a personal shower. The interior courtyard, which features a garden, patio and gym, as well as upper-level screened-in porches, provides respite and further connects patients to nature.

The project team included Gresham Smith and DeAngelis Diamond. Photos by: Randy Van Duinen