Designing for Urgency: Supporting Healthcare Systems Through Rapid-Response Design During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As a firm dedicated exclusively to healthcare design, we recognize that our clients were on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, working tirelessly to protect and care for their communities. We celebrate their heroic efforts—and we are proud to have played a part in supporting them when it mattered most.

When hospitals across the country were asked to do the impossible—treat more patients with fewer resources, in facilities never intended for a global crisis—our design teams mobilized quickly. Drawing on deep expertise in healthcare planning, infection control, and clinical operations, we helped our clients adapt existing environments to meet rapidly evolving needs.

Rapid Design Response and Adaptation

Our firm partnered with health systems to develop quick-turnaround design solutions that enhanced surge capacity, supported evolving care workflows, and reinforced mechanical and operational resilience. These efforts included reconfiguring patient units to isolate infectious cases, converting outpatient areas into temporary inpatient zones, and planning for future pandemic-ready infrastructure.

At Frederick Health Hospital, for example, we worked closely with the health system to rapidly expand Emergency Department capacity at the height of the pandemic. The solution involved temporarily relocating the Pediatric Emergency Department to make room for additional treatment spaces for COVID-19 patients.

Given the urgency of the situation, our project team leveraged an existing design/build partnership to accelerate delivery. Within just two weeks, the team completed design and permitting, followed by an equally swift construction phase. In a matter of weeks, the expanded space was fully operational, enabling Frederick Health to meet the surge in patient volume without sacrificing safety or quality of care.

Beyond the Crisis

While these rapid-response efforts were born out of necessity, they also underscored the importance of flexibility, collaboration, and forward-thinking design in healthcare environments. The lessons learned from this period continue to inform our work today—from designing adaptable patient care areas and resilient building systems to planning spaces that can seamlessly transition between standard and surge operations.

Healthcare facilities must be prepared for what’s next. By combining clinical insight, architectural innovation, and operational agility, we continue to help our clients strengthen their ability to respond—not just to pandemics, but to any challenge that impacts patient care.