Designed to serve a diverse population from Level 1 services to postpartum care: Hennepin Healthcare Clinic & Specialty Center and the Redleaf Center for Family Healing
by Kristin Zeit
As a Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center and safety-net hospital, Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis serves a diverse population, including many low-income, uninsured, and/or unhoused individuals seeking a broad range of care. Within the past 10 years, the healthcare system has expanded its buildings and services via a $192 million outpatient center—the Hennepin Clinic & Specialty Center (HCSC), completed in 2018—and, most recently, an innovative new clinic called the Redleaf Center for Family Healing, serving postpartum families with mental health and other support services.
As a county hospital, they face perpetual financial challenges, so when funding became available, Hennepin Healthcare was determined to do more with these new spaces.
“We’ve needed this for about 20-plus years, so it has been a long time coming,” Dr. Jon Pryor, former CEO of Hennepin Healthcare, told the Minnesota Star Tribune with HCSC opened. The new services were thoughtfully laid out and designed; the interiors focused on materials that would provide longstanding durability and cleanability. But an equal priority for the clinic, and for future additions (such as Redleaf) and renovations within the system, was to provide an environment of comfort and respect.
“Both of these newer spaces bring a lot of dignity to people who don’t normally have access to care in a place this nice,” says Elyse Elliott, senior designer, Henricksen (Minneapolis). Special attention to the furnishings went a long way toward accomplishing this goal.
Centralized clinics offer easier access and operations
Before the addition of Hennepin Clinic & Specialty Center (HCSC), Hennepin had 26 clinics scattered among six imposing concrete buildings of its downtown campus. For patients with multiple appointments in a day, it created an inefficient and potentially stressful scavenger hunt experience, particularly for those who didn’t speak English.
BWBR Architects (Saint Paul, Minn.) was hired to plan and design a new building to house all the clinics under one roof, and they chose a site directly across from the medical center’s ER and urgent care entrance. This would be the first building in 40 years to be added to the hospital, and the team made the most of the opportunity, with an L-shaped structure clad in earthy orange metal panels (echoing nearby historic brownstones) and a curving glass façade.
“The design of HCSC is fresh and fun, with lots of access to natural light,” says BWBR Project Manager Stephanie Alstead. The six-story center is easily navigated no matter how patients arrive, whether by car, public transportation, or via a skyway from the hospital. “There are clear entry points, and staff are able to interact with people in the lobby areas to help guide them to their location,” Alstead says.
The patient experience team had a clear idea of what they wanted from the furnishings, as well: the look of wood.
Henricksen’s Elliott, furniture specifier and designer for HCSC and the Redleaf Center, emphasized the transformative power of creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. “They truly wanted to offer patients something special,” Elliott shares. “The choice of a wood look significantly enhances the ambiance, providing a comforting and homey feel in contrast to the sterility that metal frames often bring.” Alongside this inviting aesthetic, Elliott carefully selected furniture that balances charm with resilience and hygiene, ideally suited to the dynamic environment of a busy county hospital. This thoughtful approach ensures that the space remains beautiful and practical.
The facility’s layout centers on one check-in desk and waiting area serving multiple clinics per floor, which required a mix of furniture including lounge chairs, sofas, individual seating, and space for wheelchairs. The design team tested a variety of options and brands to find a range of styles that would meet all the criteria, and landed on lines from Kwalu.
“The product was made for this environment, giving the client exactly what they wanted,” Elliott says.
Through six years of operation – including navigating the challenges of the Covid pandemic – HCSC has adapted the waiting areas to meet the changing demands of patient care while maintaining the original design aesthetic. Despite being reconfigured many times, Elliott says, the waiting room furniture has performed quite well. “The chair frames look as good as the day they were installed,” she says. “When the time comes to refresh the waiting areas, HCMC plans to keep the Kwalu furniture and reupholster it, adding to Hennepin Healthcare’s sustainability initiatives.”
The experience led Hennepin Healthcare to make the Kwalu furnishings a standard going forward, and Elliott uses HCSC as a benchmark when other areas of the hospital are looking to redo waiting spaces.
“This is the only product that offers the durability, ease of maintenance, ability to be sterilized, and has the look of wood furniture,” she says. “And Kwalu’s introduced so many new styles and options to their healthcare offering in the past few years. They’ve shown they understand what the healthcare market needs.”
For example, the design team wanted to specify a Valdina hip chair from Kwalu for HCSC’s orthopedic and physical therapy waiting areas—but the product was still in development. Instead, Kwalu supplied them with hip chairs designed for senior living settings, and then swapped those out once the Valdina version was released for production.
A next-level clinic provides focused postpartum care for all
In 2013, around the same time planning began for HCSC, Hennepin Healthcare launched its Mother-Baby Program, Minnesota’s first intensive mental health program for pregnant and postpartum mothers. That work expanded to encompass other family members—fathers, partners, other children—in 2021, with the opening of The Redleaf Center for Family Healing.
As with HCSC, designers for the new Redleaf Center sought to provide a warm, comforting and dignified setting for families of all socioeconomic backgrounds and situations. The new program, kickstarted by a $10 million gift from philanthropists Lynne and Andrew Redleaf (the largest gift Hennepin Healthcare had ever received), provides outpatient services, perinatal outpatient programs, and mental health therapy for all family members.
The center took over open space within existing hospital floors and provides an oasis designed to capture the calm, protected feeling of sitting beneath a majestic tree. The designers worked with Redleaf’s director and co-founder, Dr. Helen Kim, to set the right tone.
“It was her vision for the space,” says Elliott. “She wanted it to have a nurturing vibe but not feel too feminine, because this is for the whole family.”
Adds BWBR’s Wedge: “Overall, the finishes are neutral and timeless, though we introduced pops of vibrant color in the teaching kitchen; calm blues in the group rooms; and fun, colorful patterns and texture in the childcare area. All the materials were selected as if they were being installed in the hospital, for continuity in maintenance and ultimate durability.”
Safe, sound and stylish is the facility-wide design goal
This perspective was applied to furniture selection, as well. Softer, rounder seating with more of a residential aesthetic was in order, and to ensure the required durability and cleanability, Elliott went back to Kwalu, choosing pieces from the Diamante line as well as some from Valdina.
In consult rooms, where clinicians meet with individuals or families, Dr. Kim wanted a conversational atmosphere. “We selected the Kwalu Constanzo loveseat and lounge chair there, with a couple of little tables to make it seem more like sitting in a living room,” Elliott says. “It helps people feel calm, and I think people really respond better to therapy if they’re feeling safer.”
Hennepin Healthcare is on an exciting journey of growth, actively engaged in a multiyear planning process to revamp and expand its campus. As these plans unfold, Elliott is optimistic about the prospect of securing funding to elevate the design, materials, and furnishings throughout the hospital. This vision aims to achieve a cohesive and modern aesthetic, reflecting the forward-thinking spirit of the institution.
For the health system’s underserved patients and hardworking staff, such measures can speak volumes.
Elliott expresses enthusiasm about the impact of their work, stating, “When we manage to provide something truly exceptional that will stand the test of time and maintain its beauty, it’s a remarkable achievement. It’s a win for everyone involved.”
Kristin D. Zeit is a professional writer, editor, and content strategist with experience in mainstream and B2B media, brand journalism, marketing copy, white papers, and more. Areas of expertise include design and architecture in healthcare, hospitality, retail, senior living, and residential settings.