Photo courtesy HDR Architects
When Dallas’ original Parkland Hospital was built in 1894, it was a simple clapboard structure. Today, the New Parkland Hospital spans more than 185,806 m2 (2 million sf) and its façade comprises a proprietary system of metal panels.
Known as the hospital John F. Kennedy was rushed to after his assassination, Parkland Hospital had become outdated and undersized to adequately care for its patients. Six years ago, crews broke ground on its $1.27-billion replacement, which is more than twice the size of its predecessor.
Appearing as if it comprises two horizontal buildings crossing over one another at their ends, the hospital’s façade features a proprietary coating offering resistance to weathering, fading, and chalking. Further, the coating contains 70 percent polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resins, protecting the panels against dirt and staining, as well as providing color consistency and retention.
In addition, the building’s exterior rainscreen features 18,467 m2 (198,783 sf) of proprietary metal panels made from aluminum composite material (ACM) with a fluoroethylene vinyl ether (FEVE) resin-based coating.
At 18 stories tall, New Parkland Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility with 862 full-service rooms, cutting-edge medical technology, a standalone clinic, parking structures, and several support facilities. A campus-like maze of landscaped paths, gardens, and green space surround the complex.
Last August, New Parkland Hospital re-opened its doors to new patients. Over the course of several days, staff transferred 600 existing patients from the old building into the new complex—a process Parkland staff had been coordinating for more than a year.
