Woods Soldier Family Care Center – Fort Carson, CO

The Woods Soldier Family Care Center is a 21,296-square-foot addition used to relocate the administrative functions for Evans Army Hospital.

The project consisted of a two-story freestanding addition connected by a second-story walkway. The facility houses the Executive Branch and Command Group, Operating Subsystem/Security/Employment and Training, Human Resources, and Quality Support.

The first floor houses the Quality Support Division, Resource Management Division, and the Human Resources Division. The Human Resources Division is located at the west end of the plan to allow for public access from parking.

The second story houses the Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security Division and the Command/Executive Branch, with the latter on the east end of the building. The scope of work also includes kitchenettes, conference rooms, administrative areas, storage rooms and two telecommunications rooms.

The Commander’s Office is located at the southeast corner of the building with views of the surrounding landscape. A private outdoor patio has been provided at the command suite. This patio is located on the first-floor roof with access from the Commander’s Office and was designed to be used as an outdoor retreat or meeting space.

The exterior walls are non-load-bearing masonry, backed with metal stud framing, with a low-slope white TPO membrane roofing system. Accent brick was located on the corners of the one-story building and at the stair towers to match the existing hospital. Windows are located on a very predictable spacing pattern to create a soothing rhythm along the facade while allowing daylight into the offices on the perimeter.

The courtyard serves as an attractive outdoor environment and provides calming elements in the landscape such as a water feature, seating and planting. A curved pathway allows people to travel throughout the courtyard and experience the surrounding features. In the center of the courtyard, a fountain feature provides background noise and visual interest.