Ballinger and Ennead Architects have teamed up for the development of Inova Oakville, a new medical facility that will be an extension of Inova Alexandria Hospital. As part of Alexandria’s Oakville Triangle neighborhood redevelopment, the project is a multi-campus initiative of Inova Health System that aims to anchor the facility with the nearby residential developments and Mt. Jefferson park.
Set at the center of the Potomac Yard District, the new four-storey building will be highly visible within the neighborhood, connecting the architecture to the surrounding urban context. The design features an inviting, transparent facade and active interior with a flood of natural sunlight, allowing the medical staff and passersby to have visual access between interior and exterior, establishing a new identity for the health system that puts people at the center.
The exterior features a custom glass screen and vertical fin shading system, offering access to the surrounding landscape as well as privacy whenever needed. The upper volumes have a double glass facade made with tension cables and fritted glass shading to control glare from the sun. To further instill the sense of "inviting architecture", the lower two floors are open to the street, with a double-height entrance space.
We see healthcare providers as civic institutions, which calls for civically-minded spaces. The design team developed an architectural language that embodies Inova’s identity and values and invites the community in. We wanted to open up the heart of the building to the city and make a place where people could see in and feel welcome, with an exterior form that is soft and sculptural, providing a warm, humanistic embrace. -- Thomas J. Wong AIA, Design Partner at Ennead Architects
The 10,000 sqm medical facility will include an emergency room, imaging services, an Inova Primary Care Center with ambulatory surgery, and medical offices. The building’s lobby offers patients and visitors a holistic approach to health and wellness through comfortable waiting areas, a café, lounges, and a multipurpose room for birthing, yoga, and nutrition classes. Programs at the ground floor include an emergency department and outpatient imaging, while the upper levels include ambulatory surgery and medical offices.
Ballinger and Ennead prioritized sustainable design by optimizing the building massing and envelope for solar shading with the maximization of daylight, incorporating a high-performance rain screen façade and integrating stormwater control measures with a significant green roof that features an outdoor terrace and native plantings.
