Project name: Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven
Project location: New Haven, Connecticut
Firm name: Shepley Bulfinch
Jury comments: The vision of this client was to create a civic landmark, and the architect delivered with clean, simple, and timeless design. One of the city’s taller buildings, the structure addresses both the urban and pedestrian scale. The exterior design is very sensitive, with arrays of windows, terracotta screens, and glass stair towers combing for an elegant urban expression. At the streetscape and entry, there is a two-story overhang, a two-story glazed entry pavilion, and a beautifully landscaped plaza. To break up its massive scale, the terracotta clad volume is sliced into blocks, which are pulled apart and shifted. The resulting gaps largely correspond to major circulation arteries and create opportunities to introduce light into the hallways. This is extremely innovative design, especially the building envelope. Part of the strong sustainability strategy includes a pressure-equalized rain screen that prevents negative pressure, eliminates trapped condensation within the exterior walls, and pushes moisture out of the building. Details are remarkable throughout. The interior finishes are lovely.
Client: Yale-New Haven Hospital
Consultants: Tighe Bond; BR+A Consulting Engineers; Towers|Golde; Roll, Barresi & Associates; Spiegel Zamecnik & Shah; Cavanaugh Tocci Associates; Robert W. Sullivan Engineering; Lam Partners; Cama
