Prisma Health, Inpatient Water Birth Unit

In response to a healthcare climate driven by individuals making educated decisions for themselves, Greenville Health System (GHS, now Prisma Health) saw a need to create inpatient labor and delivery suites designed for alternative birthing techniques. Partnering with McMillan Pazdan Smith, GHS transformed a group of three traditional delivery rooms into two expanded suites with a variety of birthing options, including a birthing tub, an open shower, and a non-automatic flush toilet.

As a renovation-in-place, positioning the tubs was a major design challenge — the team had to account for existing plumbing systems and the weight of the tubs structurally, while also providing clinical staff clear access to three sides of the tub.

To minimize the clinical aesthetic of a traditional hospital environment and create a lighter, more open feeling, the design includes a raised ceiling and updated millwork, soffits and wall colors. Flexible lighting options create dimmable zones. Residential-style materials were chosen for comfort while maintaining clinical-grade sterility, including wood grain, sheet-good flooring welded wall-to-wall, and solid-surface, non-porous cabinetry with wood veneers.

The 1,400 square foot renovation completed in 2014.