Christian Community Health Center
(Calumet City)

The design for the Calumet City branch of CCHC organizes public and private spaces to foster a cooperative workflow, positive environment, and therapeutic atmosphere for all. To achieve this goal, the reception and patient-oriented spaces were relocated to the new building addition while administration activities and offices were re-purposed in the existing facility as part of a minor second phase renovation. This second phase occurred after the addition was completed and activities could be transferred to their new locations. The patient and administration spaces were located around the perimeter of a new central core containing the most heavily used functions. This core houses conference rooms, an x-ray room, a laboratory, the central nurses’ station, and a large file storage room. Our design orients the new Calumet City CCHC addition with its longest façade facing Torrence Avenue. By rotating the building footprint 90 degrees, we provided greater visual recognition for the center and simultaneously define a community presence that address the street. This new building, while minimizing sight lines of the expanded parking lot, also created a predominant building corner which patients could easily identify as the new entry point. To completely unify the existing building with the addition, we explored materials that could seamlessly be used as an over-cladding for the existing, and as a new exterior wall for the addition. It was important to create a visually recognizable brand identity through these materials and colors that could be realized at both the Calumet City and South Holland locations.