Perkins&Will’s Philadelphia studio has unveiled their design for the new Advanced Delivery Unit (ADU) at Nemours Children’s Hospital. Expanding on the global architecture practice’s vast portfolio of healthcare projects, the purpose-built unit supports mothers experiencing high-risk pregnancies in which infants are expected to require immediate medical or surgical intervention at birth.  

Located within Nemours Children’s Hospital, the new ADU consolidates prenatal care, labor and delivery, operating rooms, and postpartum recovery into a single, highly integrated environment. Speed of delivery was also critical for the hospital, with Perkins&Will executing the project within 18 months, from initial concept to completion. 

Programs of this type remain rare in the United States. The ADU positions Nemours among a select group of leading institutions advancing fetal medicine and complex perinatal care, attracting leading specialists from across the United States to its world class facilities. The model ensures a seamless transition from maternal care to neonatal intervention, with infants stabilized and transferred directly to the adjacent NICU without leaving the department. 

“The ability to care for both mother and baby within a single, purpose-built unit fundamentally changes the experience of high-risk pregnancy,” explains Julie S. Moldenhauer, MD, PMH-C, Executive Director of the Institute for Maternal Fetal Health and Elizabeth W. Snyder Endowed Chair in Fetal Therapy and Innovation at Nemours Children's Health. “For families, their earliest memories with their child take place within these walls. They deserve a space that is both beautiful and capable of supporting the highest level of clinical care. We aimed high and Perkins&Will delivered.” 

Perkins&Will served as planner, interior architect, and design architect for the project.  

Halkin Mason Photography

Redefining the Maternal Care Experience Within a Children’s Hospital 

Developed in close collaboration with doctors and staff, the design balances both clinical excellence and emotional wellbeing in maternal care.  
 
“Hospital environments can take a significant toll on wellbeing,” says Laura Ethridge Morris, Northeast Health Practice Leader and Principal at Perkins&Will. “Many ADU patients have extended stays prior to birth, the goal for our team was to create a calm, supportive environment that helps mothers navigate complex medical journeys — for both themselves and their babies.”
 
 Within pediatric hospitals, design standards are typically developed to meet the needs of children. As the ADU is designed for adult patients, the architectural language shifts accordingly. Soft symmetry, hierarchy of space, and classical proportion inform the planning and detailing. Full height expressions and carefully composed sightlines create openness and clarity. 

Blending Clinical Performance with Residential Warmth 

The ADU balances technical complexity with comfort. Patient rooms, communal areas, and clinical spaces feature warm wood tones, layered lighting, and natural materials — drawing inspiration from hospitality environments such as spas and hotels. This creates a hospital setting for patients that feel reminiscent of their home, adding a sense of familiarity during a highly stressful moment in their lives. 

“Patients often say what they miss most is their own bed and bathroom,” explains Erin O’Hara, BSN, RNC-OB, Nurse Manager for the Advanced Delivery Unit at Nemours Children’s Health. “We really focused on the small details to make every patient feel like a VIP. The goal was to create something that feels like a home away from home while still delivering the highly specialized care.” 

The design references the classical architecture of the Nemours Estate, reinterpreted in a modern vernacular. Patient rooms feel residential rather than institutional, with boutique hotel-quality bathrooms, concealed technology integrated into millwork, and lighting designed to glow rather than glare. 

Common areas include a residential-style kitchen and lounge designed for family gatherings, as well as a wellness room that will offer yoga, music therapy, and group sessions. 

Behind this calm, refined environment lies highly sophisticated clinical infrastructure. In the event of emergent or precipitous births, every space in the ADU is designed to flex into a delivery room. Operating rooms are embedded within the unit, eliminating the need to transport patients to distant surgical floors.  

Spaces to Support Staff Wellbeing 

Recognizing that hospitals are also workplaces, Perkins&Will collaborated closely with staff to create environments that support caregivers as well as patients – ranging from doctors and nurses to administrators. 

Amenities often overlooked in healthcare design — including showers, lactation rooms, personal storage and comfortable break areas — were thoughtfully integrated. The emphasis on staff experience recognizes that better work environments lead to better patient care.

Delivering Complex Healthcare at Speed 

The ADU emerged from a broader master planning effort for the Nemours campus, where the program was identified as an immediate priority. Hospital leadership set an April 2026 opening target, compressing what is typically a multi-year healthcare timeline into eighteen months from concept to completion.
 
To meet this schedule, Perkins&Will implemented an accelerated, highly coordinated workflow. Schematic Design was completed in four weeks, followed by seven weeks each for design development and construction documents. Turner Construction was engaged early, with continuous cost validation integrated into the design process. Clinical stakeholders participated in weekly working sessions to resolve operational requirements in real time.
 
From initial concept through completion, the project was delivered in eighteen months — demonstrating not only urgency, but a shared commitment to achieve an ambitious vision at the highest standard. Ultimately, Perkins&Will’s delivery model for the ADU establishes a new benchmark for healthcare design in the US.