News & Updates MBH ARCHITECTURE embraces the vision of the future workplace with Hartford HealthCare

MBH ARCHITECTURE embraces the vision of the future workplace with Hartford HealthCare

Hartford HealthCare is moving – and in doing so, is transforming both 100 Pearl Street and its own culture to address the far-reaching aspirations of today’s rapidly changing workplace. The move reverses the traditional paradigm of the exclusive executive suite to bring leadership directly into the community. The most visible expression of this transformation will be a new glass pavilion, dubbed ‘The Cube’, that will serve not only as an entry, but with animated digital displays and integrated lighting, will activate a revitalized new ‘community corner’ plaza at the intersection of Pearl and Trumbull Streets. While embracing the future, this move also respects the past, drawing on the heritage of Pearl Street as an integral ‘working’ part of Hartford’s growth as a city, and is seen as a ‘roll-up-your-sleeves’ public-oriented place where leadership is an activity, not a title.

The main arrival point will be into the dramatic four-story central atrium of the 100 Pearl Street building, enhanced by elegant finishes and digital displays conveying Hartford’s latest advances in treatment and technology. Immediately beyond this atrium, and accessible to groups outside of Hartford HealthCare, will be the ‘Lab’, a flexible, technology-enhanced space (highlighting immersive technologies) for collaborative workshops and idea generation that will serve as a community resource.

From the Atrium you enter the ‘Collaboration Hub’ – a dramatic 2-story space envisioned as a lively, dynamic focus of activity, opened up to the street – a place where the innovative, forward-thinking culture of Hartford HealthCare is practiced, communicated and celebrated. This space will feature flexible touch-down spaces and a new media center with broadcasting capabilities, prominently located adjacent to the Cube, where the latest advances in care and medical technology can be shared with the world.
Aesthetically, the design is an expression of the ‘cultural DNA’ of Hartford HealthCare – embodying its principles in a dynamic, connected, collaborative, visible and accessible approach. The light-filled multi-story space is defined with fluid, curving planes in a simple yet elegant white palette balanced with warm wood accents and highlighted by elements of bold, branded color.

This approach is carried through to the south side of the building, directly accessible through the lobby and across a bridge above the entry, which features conferencing and hoteling spaces focused on Strategy for Hartford HealthCare. The elegant fluid surfaces lead to the largest conference room, called the ‘Creative Arena’, which overlooks the Atrium. This space, which is designed to accommodate large meetings of 40 plus people, is enhanced with the latest in digital technology to support in person and remote presentations.

From here we move to the front to the building, within the historic bank entry, where a second stair leads down to the ‘Studio’ where Hartford HealthCare’s Marketing group will thrive and generate creative solutions in a collaboration atmosphere.
Here the design is more industrial, signifying the creative energies of the projects there. The ceilings have been opened up and raised, allowing natural light to flow in from above the stair to highlight the open, collaborative workspace.

A new Rooftop deck will feature an outdoor gathering space with healthy landscape that replaces a traditional unoccupied black roof offering a workspace, a place to unwind, recharge and foster creative collaboration and innovation. The addition of a Rooftop space in Downtown Hartford speaks to the overall initiative of the City of Hartford and will set the stage for all to follow.

Ultimately, this and the other spaces at 100 Pearl Street create a dynamic new expression of institutional identity, engaging Hartford HealthCare into the downtown Hartford community becoming an integral, active part of the urban fabric, accessible to the public, communicating its values, embracing technology and celebrating its civic responsibility.