VA Puget Sound Healthcare Campus

Nakano Associates provided site planning and landscape design for the new Mental Health and Research Building, new main campus plaza, and parking structure for the US Department of Veterans Affairs Seattle Healthcare Campus. The new Mental Health and Research Building will house the outpatient therapy, clinical research, and educational programs of the Veterans Administration Seattle Campus. The design of the new entry drive leading to the main plaza includes accommodates the safe flow of pedestrians, cars and buses. The primary focus of the design is to create a comfortable and safe environment that is calming and reassuring for veterans.

The landscape design unifies the major existing buildings on the site in a patient-friendly and environmentally sensitive way. It creates a sense of arrival and continuous way finding system while incorporating universal access strategies and an overall message of respect and gratitude. Secondarily, the design works to support collaboration and team building among the clinical and research staff as well as provide for respite from daily work stresses with the inclusion of two open air courtyards and one atrium courtyard that is also open to the patients and their families.