The GBMC Louis and Phyllis Friedman Building is a three-story, 60-bed addition to the existing hospital campus representing a thoughtful integration of architecture and landscape design, enhancing both the built environment and the experience of those who use it. HCM’s Landscape Architecture team skillfully wove together the new expansion with the existing facility, creating a seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces.

At the main entrance, a richly planted landscape establishes a welcoming threshold, grounding the building with vibrant textures and color. Beneath the cantilevered overhang, a serpentine ribbon of decorative stone evokes the gentle flow of a river, a motif echoed inside the building through a similar pattern in the terrazzo flooring—creating a visual and experiential continuity.

Inside, an expansive lobby opens onto a shared courtyard between the new and existing buildings. This space extends the interior outward, offering a tranquil setting that includes a chapel garden, centered around a gracefully curved granite water feature. Adjacent to this, a generous outdoor terrace invites patients, visitors, and staff to dine, gather, or reflect. Café seating with umbrellas, a commissioned art installation by a renowned local artist, and lush plantings combine to create a vibrant, garden-like atmosphere.

Curvilinear design elements—winding walkways, a serpentine seat wall, and a sculptural wood bench—mirror forms found throughout the interior, visually tying the project together and reinforcing a sense of calm and connection throughout the site.

To learn more about the architecture services Hord Coplan Macht provided for this project, click here.