Reading Healthplex for Advanced Surgical & Patient Care
West Reading, PA USA
88,000 sf. Overstructure Greenroofs

Greenroofs.com Featured Project July 1, 2019

Kudos to Tower Health System, its staff, and the combined design team of Ballinger, Roofmeadow, and Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects for their collaboration on this stunning Reading Healthplex for Advanced Surgical & Patient Care project!

Close attention to detail and the salutary effects of biophilia created lush, contemplated spaces for patients, their families, staff members and the public alike to enjoy.

Image: Ballinger

Image: Ballinger by © Albert Vecerka/Esto

Excerpt from Project Profile:

Over time, the surgical services at Reading Hospital’s 46-acre campus in West Reading, PA grew across five buildings in a fractured arrangement that was not conducive to optimal patient care.

In 2011, the hospital engaged Ballinger to conceptualize options to consolidate the campus’s surgical services. In March 2017, the Reading Healthplex for Advanced Surgical & Patient Care fully opened, with its 476,000-square-foot surgical and inpatient tower and 88,000 square feet of greenroofs.

Image: Ballinger by © Albert Vecerka/Esto

Situated on a dramatic 30-foot grade change, the new eight-story tower houses a significant portion of surgical programmatic requirements below grade including a dedicated entrance to the new surgery center on the lower level of the campus.

Patient rooms have views of the serene healing garden, and patients and families have access to natural light and garden spaces which include a tranquil fountain area, a pergola offering shade in the summer, an oval-shaped grassy area anchoring the rooftop garden, and a strolling meadow walk that connects to the Wyomissing Park below.

Image: Ballinger by © Halkin Mason Photography

Image: Ballinger by © 2017 Rob Cardillo Photography

Skylights and light wells allow natural light to enter the prep and recovery platform below the greenroof. In order to achieve the full range of vegetation from small flowers to full-size trees and reduce the weight, a variety of engineered growth media mixes from rooflite® and extruded polystyrene were used.

With different natural spaces, ranging from 4 to 36 inches of growth media, rooflite provided soil that allows for a variety of vegetation to thrive from sedum and perennials to bushes and trees. And an automated irrigation system reduces maintenance needs.

Image: Ballinger by © 2017 Rob Cardillo Photography

Ballinger Architects, Roofmeadow, and Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects developed a beautiful network of conventional and roof top gardens spanning a range of extensive and intensive planting conditions for the Reading Hospital’s recent expansion project.

Management says that extensive staff input, planning and forward-thinking provides a facility that is sustainable, energy efficient and environmentally friendly in order to enhance the staff, patient, and guest experience.

Image: Ballinger by © 2017 Rob Cardillo Photography

Image: Ballinger by © 2017 Rob Cardillo Photography

Year: 2016
Owner: Tower Health System
Location: West Reading, PA USA
Building Type: Healthcare, Park
Project Type: Extensive, Semi-Intensive & Intensive
System: Custom
Size: 88,000 sq.ft.
Slope: 1-20%
Access: Accessible, Public

Image: Ballinger by © Albert Vecerka/Esto

Credits:

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & INTERIOR DESIGN:
BALLINGER

GREENROOF CONSULTANT:
ROOFMEADOW

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT:
JONATHAN ALDERSON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

CONTRACTOR:
L.F. DRISCOLL CO

GROWING MEDIA:
ROOFLITE® EXTENSIVE, SEMI-INTENSIVE, INTENSIVE

SEPARATION FABRIC:
ROOFLITE®

DRAINS:
ROOFLITE®

ROOFLITE BLENDER:
LAUREL VALLEY SOILS

INSTALLATION:
SEAN’S LANDSCAPING

Image: rooflite

See the Reading Healthplex for Advanced Surgical & Patient Care project profile to see ALL of the Photos and Additional Information about this particular project in the Greenroofs.com Projects Database.

Image: Ballinger by © Albert Vecerka/Esto

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