PROJECT SUMMARY: Next Design completed the renovation and expansion to the Kaiser Permanente Ko’olau Medical Offices in October 2013. Through a diligent team effort, the projects was completed in two phases. The first phase included the construction of the 6,000 square foot expansion on the mauka side of the existing building while the facility remained in operation. The second phase included the site work and interior improvements to the existing and expansion area.

The second phase was completed and went live in seven months. The original clinic built in the 1960s had dimly lit waiting areas with little natural light. The clinic module created challenges for both staff and patients due to their circulation and space limitations. Next Design worked with the KP NFS team to develop a synergy with the users to ensure that the project would capture the true ‘ohana nature of the care delivery provided to the windward are patients.

During the design process Next Design coordinated an excursion to a local nursery that specializes in native plants and also provides educational sessions. The outing was attended by the KP NFS team, and Koolau Clinic stakeholders, and provided insight about how plant indigenous to the windward area were used for medicinal purposes. Incorporation of natural light, improved light levels, and improved staff and patient flow were primary elements in the design. Portions of the moss rock veneers which covered the entire front façade of the building were removed and reused at bases of the existing columns. This brightened up the entry to the clinic where visitors are greeted with a sign that reads “E Komo Mai” or “Welcome” in Hawaiian. Landscaping using Hawaiian medicinal plants was incorporated around the site.

Textures and palettes that were derived from Kaiser Permanente’s Total Health Environment guidelines were regionalized with consideration of the lush rural settings of the clinic. The medicinal landscape elements also carried into the clinic through a commissioned art series adjacent to the central reception area.

The project achieved a LEED Gold Certification