This 663,000 sq ft 254-bed replacement hospital on a 90-acre site brings critical care to the South Bend community. Wells provided the exterior enclosure solution, dominated by a combination of prefabricated elements that help integrate the building into the community.

Five stories of ICU and patient rooms are clad with a prefabricated facade system. A red, thin brick veneer adds scale and richness to the facade, along with a five-story precast cross that is integrated into the northeast stair and dominates the entry approach. The thin brick provided an affordable alternative to traditional masonry methods while helping the contractor maintain the construction schedule. Wells provided design assistance with panelization, seismic design, vapor barrier, brick design, and layout. The precast panels reduced the enclosure time over hand-set bed depth brick, speeding up the schedule and reducing costs.