GS&P Recognized by IIDA Alabama for Bay Medical Center Design

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –Gresham, Smith and Partners, is pleased to announce it was honored during the semi-annual Alabama Chapter International Interior Design Association awards. The firm was awarded “Best Construction Detail” for design of Bay Medical Center in Panama City, Fla. The five-story, 200,000-square-foot patient tower designed by GS&P opened in November 2010 and is the new main entrance to the facility.

“It is an honor to have received this award from our industry peers,” commented Mitch Whiteside, AIA, healthcare principal, Gresham, Smith and Partners.  “Congratulations to the entire team who worked to create this inspired design and see it through to reality. The real success is the improved facility that Bay Medical now offers to the Panama City community, and we are proud to be a part of that.”

The architecture of the new Patient Tower evokes the image of sailboats. This image was interpreted by the design team to create a focal point structure in the lobby. The design and detailing of the walls which enclose the conference room and gift shop were designed to reinforce the sailboat imagery and translate it into a physical object.  In addition, the walls visually reduce the height of the ceiling in the lobby space while also creating a sense of curiosity of what’s beyond. 

The wall has overlapping panels offset with lighting to suggest a sense of movement and depth. The panels are triangular with the tops and sides slightly tapered to mimic the shape of a sail. Reveals in the panels simulate the battens of a sail and create a grid like pattern. Each panel was created in sections with concealed fasteners to expedite and simplify the transportation and installation processes.  These details also eliminated seams in the panels and helped reduce waste. Installed in the space, the panels create the illusion of sails that are hand sculpted from one solid piece of wood. The wall also displays a gift shop sign created from ½” thick resin panel.

The Alabama Chapter of IIDA has held its Design Awards Program every two years beginning in 1995. On the nine occasions that the event has been held, GS&P has been recognized each time for a total of eleven awards.

“Being recognized with an award for details reinforces our team’s ability to translate an overall project theme or emotion into creative and innovative design solutions that are incorporated throughout a variety of spaces in the overall design,” Jim Griffo, AIA, IIDA, senior vice president in charge of Gresham, Smith and Partners’ Birmingham office. “I’m proud of our staff and pleased we kept our winning streak alive.” 

The IIDA Alabama Chapter is a very active chapter with Members located throughout the state. There are city centers located in Birmingham and Huntsville as well as a Campus Center at Auburn University. IIDA strives to create a strong niche for talented and visionary Interior Design professionals, to elevate the profession to the level it warrants, and to lead the way for the next generation of Interior Design innovators. The Association provides a forum to demonstrate design professionals’ impact on the health, safety and well being of the public, balancing passion for good design with strategies for best business practices.

About GS&P

Gresham, Smith and Partners provides design and consulting solutions for the built environment that contribute to the success of national and international clients.  For more than 40 years, GS&P has focused on enhancing quality of life and sustainability within communities.  GS&P consists of industry-leading professionals practicing architecture and engineering design as well as scientists and highly specialized planning and strategic consultants in Transportation, Water Services, Land Planning, Aviation, Corporate and Urban Design, Environmental Compliance, Healthcare and Industrial Design Services.  GS&P consistently ranks among the top architecture and engineering firms in the United States.  For more information regarding GS&P, visit www.gspnet.com.