Vince Lombardi Healing Garden
A quiet and tranquil space promotes the healing process.
On the eighth floor of a tiered twelve-story hospital, the Vince Lombardi Charitable Funds Healing Garden and the Agnes and Morland Hamilton Healing Conservatory transformed an unlikely site into a green oasis. The cold, sterile lower rooftop was not originally designed for an addition, posing structural point-load and vibration issues. The design team created a new environment to enhance physical/medical care with emotional and spiritual healing. The project achieved LEED Gold Certification status and won the 2010 Milwaukee Business Journal’s Best New Development in Health Care award.
A full-height glass wall focuses views toward the dramatic city skyline. A large clerestory above the main space provides ample daylight.
The conservatory is clad in stone panels, a divergence from the existing hospital’s materials.
Pathways were designed for wheelchairs and wheeled hospital beds.
The indoor and outdoor garden spaces were envisioned as tranquil respites within the often stressful hospital environment.
The garden is not only enjoyed by visitors, but also by patients and staff viewing the roof from the upper floors.
In addition to its abundant native, adaptive plantings, the garden presents winding pathways for contemplation and provides a calming environment for recovering patients.
Photography by John Korom and David Brubaker