Legacy ER & Urgent Care – Allen (Texas), which opened in 2013, received the Best Health and Wellness Architecture Award from The Dallas Architecture Forum. The award was part of the forum’s 25th Anniversary Design Recognition program, themed “Looking Back – Looking Forward.”
The Dallas Architecture Forum’s 25th-anniversary celebration acknowledged the 25 most meaningful and influential architecture projects across North Texas over the past 25 years. An international jury evaluated submissions and selected 25 winners in various categories, including healthcare.
Legacy ER & Urgent Care is the first dual ER and urgent care model under one roof in Texas. Architecture for the 8,500-square-foot facility incorporates Evidence-Based Design principles into its spatial layout, circulation and sensory elements, while maintaining a balance to avoid an overly clinical appearance. Strategically positioned skylights facilitate intuitive wayfinding. Workspaces encourage peer collaboration, ensure patient accessibility and protect data privacy. Patient care areas focus on welcoming hospitality and treatment efficiency. The staff lounge and office areas are connected by a sunlit double-height space, offering access to a balcony discreetly nestled under the zinc roof.
The building’s profile reimagines traditional rooflines. Perforated panels on the exterior provide diffuse lighting and passive solar shading. With a strong nod to environmentally conscious design, zinc was chosen for its sustainability and resilience in Texas weather.
Project team
Architects, interior designer: 5G Studio Collaborative
Structural engineer: Datum Engineers
MEP engineer: Jordan & Skala Engineers
Civil engineer: RLK Engineering
Landscape architect: SMR Landscape Architects
General contractor: UEB Builders
Photo credit: OTTO/Michael Moran
