News

We are excited about the groundbreaking of a truly unique concept in health and wellness sponsored by Hayes Green Beach Hospital, with design by JJCA.   AL!VE is an $18 million project incorporating  a wellness/fitness center, physical rehabilitation services, women’s health options, integrative medicine, spa services, café and demonstration kitchen, walking trails, community rooms and more.   JJCA’s experience with the intricacies of HUD 242 financing came in handy, as project funding is being guaranteed by this program.

Learn more here.

We’ve recently had the pleasure to begin working with a physician in Vietnam who operates several clinics throughout Vietnam. When he decided to provide a “western-style hospital” in Ho Chi Minh City, he already knew that he wanted to contact JJCA.  He’d seen an article in Healthcare Design Magazine about our work with Bailey Medical Center and the rest, as they say, is history.  We are now in the process of designing a nine-story, 27,500 square meter project including a full-service hospital and medical office space.

Though we’ve worked in many states around the country – including a current project in Alaska – this is our first international experience and it is really expanding our cultural horizons.  In fact, we were there as Vietnam was celebrating their version of Independence Day with fireworks – much as we do. We’ve learned that motorbikes rule the roads there – and getting across the road is like playing human frogger.  We did some site seeing and shopping in craftsman villages in Vietnam, the Cu Chi tunnels and the Mekong Delta.

Watch for more updates as we export western healthcare architecture to Vietnam!

Noel Bendure and David Brown just got back from the “coast to coast” tour of Michigan. Travelling from Grand Rapids to Auburn Hills, they visited two projects in construction – Forest View Hospital, a psychiatric hospital addition and Havenywck Hospital, which is completing a second phase of residential treatment beds, classrooms, activity therapy and outdoor activity courts.  Both projects are moving along very well.

The new Havenwyck lobby is a very light and warm place for both inpatients and outpatients to be greeted and evaluated. Little details like placing vending machines and the coat rack so they are not in full view make a big difference. Replacing carpet with tile will keep the lobby cleaner during Michigan winters.  Security glazing has been strategically installed at the front desk,  providing safety while still maintaining a sleek look.   Thanks to our own Noel Bendure, along with Allison Hughey with IDS for much of the design.

Is he suffering a mid-life crisis?  Changing careers?  Or maybe David Brown is just trying to learn a few “cold” hard facts in a two-week Arctic Engineering course he’s taking at the University of Alaska.  Actually the course is a requirement for Alaska licensure.  David Brown will join David Johnson as JJCA’s second licensed architect in Alaska – a little back-up for our work with the new hospital in Wrangell.

Go Sea Wolves!

Wrangell, Alaska is a beautiful town set in Southeast Alaska, about a 20 minute plane ride above snow capped mountains north of Ketchikan. Our team spent the week wrangling the schematic design, addressing the hospital’s and the community’s comments. Key inputs were staff efficiencies with a nurse station that allows nurses to supervise the ER, the long term care unit, and the med/ surg unit simultaneously, easy ER access and views to the scenic bay. Our revised plan was able to achieve these goals. We ate well and saw some amazing sites just walking through town.