T
he new
1.2-million-
square-foot
Shirley Ryan
AbilityLab in Chicago,
Illinois has a long-
standing tradition of
excellence in which to
measure up. Formerly the
Rehabilitation Institute
of Chicago, or RIC, it's
been crowned the "No. 1
Rehabilitation Hospital in
America" by U.S. News &
World Report since 1991.
Upon opening in March
2017, the $550-million,
242-private-bed Shirley
Ryan AbilityLab
became the fi rst-ever
translational research
hospital where clinicians,
scientists, innovators
and technologists work
together in the same
space 24/7, surrounding
patients, discovering
new approaches and
applying — or translating
— research in real time.
Capable of treating the
most complex conditions,
including spinal cord in-
jury, stroke and traumatic
brain injury, the Shirley
Ryan AbilityLab required
new engineering concepts,
as many of the "rules of
thumb" developed through
decades of designing
high-rise healthcare fa-
cilities did not apply to this
unique model of research
and care.
First, patients typically
stay signifi cantly longer
than in a traditional
hospital, and therefore
the facility needed to
be designed both as a
hospital and a second
home for patients. The
interspersion of research
and patient care also
presented a unique set of
challenges in developing
appropriate concepts for
the mechanical, electrical,
plumbing and technolog y
services.
Designing
Human
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Medical Construction & Design | SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2017 | MCDM AG.COM