Rather than be hidden away like most utility plants, the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Utility Plant sits in plain sight of a residential neighborhood’s high-traffic area. The project’s objective was to create more than just a typical utility plant; it aimed to become a central attraction in the area. While providing essential energy, heating, cooling, and oxygen, the utility plant evokes a sense of harmony. Continuously engaging with its environment, the walls subtly move inward and outward while the roofline gracefully rises and descends, following the curve of the adjacent road. The metal façade interacts with the shifting daylight, and from within, the interior lights shine through semi-reflective frosted windows, resembling warm and inviting lanterns.

Kentucky

Cincinnati, OH

Messer Construction Co.

GBBN Architects/ZGF Architects

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

• 5,500 ft Metal Sub-Framing Installation

• 1,500 ft Custom Extrusions
• 13,000 sq ft Metal Wall Panels
• Associated Trim Installation

New Construction