Coming out of the landscape master plan led by KMDG, the main entrance at Brigham and Women’s hospital was identified as one of the top priorities of the phase two master planning projects. The idea was to take the main entrance at BWH from a dark and confusing drop off, to a welcoming environment that acts as a precursor to the quality care one can expect at the hospital.

The upgrades to the main entry included strategies to add more light, introduce natural materials, improve wayfinding and increase pedestrian access. The design includes larger planters allowing for increased soil volume and more diversity of plants. The design interventions help create a welcoming environment by softening the space that was previously concrete and steel. To help increase visibility and natural light into the entry a curtain wall was made more transparent and the lighting of the space was more carefully designed to work in daylight and nighttime conditions. In addition to the aesthetic enhancements wayfinding and access were improved with more prominent entryways for pedestrians that clearly distinguish the emergency entry from the general hospital entrance. Pedestrian access was improved with wider and easily accessible entry points at the main crosswalk and on the corner of the street.