CannonDesign shines in Healthcare Design's Annual Showcase issue

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August 4, 2026

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Four CannonDesign projects were highlighted in the annual Healthcare Design Showcase awards program, along with interviews on hospital lobby trends and the new physician faculty office.

The Healthcare Design Showcase awards program honors the best design and architecture in the healthcare industry every summer. CannonDesign projects have a strong history within the program, and this year is no different. The following projects were recognized in the 2026 Healthcare Design Showcase:

Northwestern Medicine, Faculty Office Center (Award of Merit)

Northwestern Medicine’s Faculty Office Center was the sole recipient of the top honor in the Showcase, the Award of Merit. The Faculty Office Center is a forward-thinking alternative to traditional private office space: an elegant, high-performance environment seamlessly integrated into the hospital, designed to support focus and restoration while keeping physicians close to patient care. It is a hospitality-inspired destination prioritizing choice and well-being while optimizing hospital real estate.

As part of the project's Award of Merit recognition, Mark Hirons (Senior Design Leader) and Blue Cottage of CannonDesign's Chris Lambert (Project Strategy Lead), were interviewed about how the project came to be. They detailed how physician faculty input was integral to how the layout of the Faculty Office Center turned out and why it was important for the interior design of the space to be an inverse to sterile clinical environments.

"Through our conversations with faculty, we realized the importance of creating an oasis, a Zen-like space where they could decompress and find time to prioritize their own wellness, essentially providing 'care for the caregivers,'" said Mark. "The interiors team wanted this space to be a stark contrast to the clinical spaces where these physicians are spending a lot of their time."

Read the full interview with Mark and Chris
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Northwestern Medicine's Faculty Office Center features different zones, including open workspaces for solo or collaborative work.
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Sleep rooms have customizable lighting and are located away from busier, social zones.

Connecticut Children's, New Clinical Tower (Finalist)

Connecticut Children’s new eight-story Clinical Tower on its Hartford, Connecticut campus was recognized as a Finalist in the Showcase. The 190,000 square-foot tower includes 25 private NICU rooms and a cutting-edge Fetal Care Center that offers advanced outpatient and inpatient care and treatments for complex fetal conditions. 

The patient journey was of paramount focus throughout the design process. This focus translates to distinct design features throughout the building, including an expansive lobby, where floor-to-ceiling glass panels let in abundant natural light. The lobby also features a two-story “tree of life” sculpture, bird-like light pendants and nature-themed artwork to help bring a sense of joy and curiosity to pediatric patients and their families and help ease anxiety and stress. 

Connecticut Childrens Tree
The "Tree of Life" installation anchors the open lobby of the new clinical tower at Connecticut Children's.
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Most waiting and public spaces have custom murals and colorful furniture and lighting.

BJC HealthCare, Plaza West Tower (Featured)

As the latest addition to the St. Louis skyline, the 16-story Plaza West Tower is the new centerpiece on BJC HealthCare’s urban academic medical campus. This tower houses 280 private inpatient rooms, of which 224 are acute care and 56 are ICU rooms — many with sweeping views of neighboring Forest Park and Hudlin Park. The building also includes a new kitchen and cafeteria to serve the entire South Campus, over 100 prep/recovery bays to serve the procedural platform, and cutting-edge diagnostic and procedural imaging modalities such as MRI, CT, Interventional Radiology as well as Neuro Interventional Radiology services. 

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BJC HealthCare's Plaza West Tower can be seen from St. Louis' famed Forest Park.

Inova Health Center- Oakville (Honorable Mention)

The Inova Health Center- Oakville, designed by Ennead, a CannonDesign Company, and Ballinger, received an Honorable Mention. The building is part of a multi-campus initiative of Inova Health System, and includes a comprehensive emergency room, imaging services, an Inova Primary Care Center with ambulatory surgery, and medical offices for other Inova and community providers.

The transparent, light-filled design presents an open, inviting entrance and features a bright, active interior that is visible to the street, establishing a new identity for the health system that speaks to its mission of centering people first. The public lobby incorporates the Inova Commons: an initiative to provide patients and their loved ones a holistic approach to health and wellness in a comfortable, relaxed setting.

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Set along the centralizing spine of the Potomac Yard District, the new four-story building is highly visible within the neighborhood, and to travelers along Richmond Highway.
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With the lower two floors open to the street, the building’s interior entry is demarcated by a double-height space.

Rady Children's Health, Southwest Tower (Interview)

In an article about the evolution of hospital lobbies, our work on the Southwest Tower at Rady Children's Health was featured for its digital and human check-in options, moveable and flexible furniture and colorful aesthetic. Hilary Thomas-Herd, senior interior designer on the project, and Bronwyn Stackleather, project director at Rady Children's Health were quoted in the piece.

"As technology changes over time, clients want to be able to respond to those changes easily and effectively," said Hilary. The full piece can be found here.

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There are many nooks and learning displays throughout the lobby in multiple languages.
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The lobby is open and full of color, and features multiple ways for patients and their families to check in and orient themselves.

The Healthcare Design Showcase honors the best design and architecture in the healthcare industry. We are proud to have our projects recognized in the competition for the past six years.

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