Scott Lindvall spent the first decade of his architecture career working on a variety of project types, including churches, schools, museums, pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, and banks. In 1999, he joined HGA (Milwaukee) and began focusing exclusively on healthcare design.
While he admits there was a steep learning curve, Lindvall enjoyed the technical complexities inherent to this sector and the collaboration between designers, builders, local and state authorities, and care providers. Still, it wasn’t until he was asked to represent his project team at the opening of a Level 2 neonatal intensive care unit renovation that he understood his work is about more than architecture.
“The project’s lead champion stood up and thanked everyone for their hard work to make his dream a reality. Then he said, ‘I just can’t help but think about all the other babies we could have saved if we had this unit earlier,’” Lindvall says. “That’s when it struck me that this wasn’t just a project. We have a unique opportunity to influence, and sometimes save, lives.
What drew you to a career in healthcare design?
The technology in healthcare is ever-changing, which means that design solutions must constantly respond to that. For example, major medical equipment is becoming more precise, faster, and sometimes smaller, which can impact cooling loads, and has a domino effect on the building and systems design. Pharmaceutical and genomic advancements are impacting how and where care is provided. Layer in almost-constant code updates and significant changes in healthcare reimbursement, and you get an amazingly dynamic industry.
What was your first project?
The replacement of St. Mary’s Hospital in Rhinelander, Wis., which is now part of Ascension.
What lesson did you learn on that project that you still carry with you today?
That completing a successful healthcare project requires a dedicated team of designers and builders who work with the owner to do what’s best for the project. I try to foster a collaborative approach on all the projects I work on.
Read the complete interview in Healthcare Design.