Comfort and Care for Little Patients
A neonatal intensive care multi-phased expansion creates a calm, family-centered environment that blends advanced medical care with sensitivity to families’ self-care needs, while remaining close to their baby to provide support and help them learn how to continue caring for their infant in preparation for leaving the hospital.
Nemours NICU Expansion
Wilmington, DE
Nemours Children’s Hospital, a nationally recognized leader in pediatric care, sought to expand its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to meet the growing regional demand for specialized neonatal services. The goal was to enhance both clinical performance and family experience through thoughtful, human-centered design.
The expansion’s design and construction were broken into three phases. The 14,000-square-foot expansion supports Nemours’ comprehensive neonatology program, providing spacious private rooms that accommodate family members and foster connection during critical moments of care. Each room integrates advanced technology within a nurturing environment that minimizes stress for newborns, families, and caregivers alike.
Design That Calms and Supports
In a children’s hospital, the design of these units incorporates features intended for adults, as patients’ families and caregivers are the primary beneficiaries of the uplifting atmosphere and amenities.
To create a healing space, the design emphasizes sound mitigation through material selection, patient safety through decentralized team stations, and family privacy through a dedicated family zone in each patient room, including a sleeper sofa, a privacy screen, and a family toilet room with a sink. Arrival areas feature scrub sinks that help families reduce the risk of infection for their infants, while soft colors, lighting, and varied ceiling heights with wood accents enhance comfort by creating a sense of warmth.
To support breastfeeding, each patient room has a milk refrigerator, and each NICU wing has a dedicated Steam Station alcove for family use to facilitate equipment sanitation. The Milk Lab, which supports the entire hospital, is adjacent to the NICU.
Each wing of the NICU has exterior courtyard views, with two accessible to families. One of the courtyards is for NICU access only, and the other, which overlooks some NICU rooms, has a fountain.
To provide community and respite away from the bedside, there is a centralized family lounge with workspaces, laundry facilities, showers, and a kitchenette. It also provides a space for families to connect with one another, away from the NICU Rooms, as well as for extended family, without inviting them into the patient room to minimize infection risk.
A Thoughtful Approach to Care
Abundant natural light, views of nature, and a soft, calming color palette create a serene, uplifting atmosphere. The result is a state-of-the-art NICU that aligns with Nemours’ mission to deliver compassionate, family-centered care.
By combining the optimum stage for provider care and a focus on family well-being, the Nemours NICU expansion design demonstrates how architecture can elevate healthcare environments and improve outcomes for patients and caregivers alike.
Meet the Design Team
