Humboldt Park Health, formerly known as Norwegian American Hospital, is a 120-year-old hospital in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. Originally constructed of masonry bearing walls and clay tile floors, the hospital has undergone numerous renovations to expand and reimagine its space, improve patient care, and keep up with the frequent changes and updates required of modern healthcare facilities.
During this renovation, the design team reimagined the Emergency Department, Imaging Department, and other support areas, modernizing and brightening the interiors, and improving visitor flow and wayfinding. Modifications required review and assessment of existing conditions, structural engineering design for the partial removal of masonry walls and permanent supports for remaining building elements above, and design and analysis for new wall and floor penetrations.
As an active hospital, construction was required to accommodate continuous use of all hospital functions with minimal disruptions. Construction was completed in over 20 individual phases to allow the facility to remain open and fully functional throughout the renovations.