Atlanta, Georgia
Client: Piedmont Healthcare Atlanta
Size: 12,000 square feet
Status: Completed 2020
Collaborators: HKS, Inc.
Delivering the largest public open space along Peachtree Street, revitalizing urban connection to major Atlanta hospital.
As part of the Marcus Tower expansion, Piedmont Hospital sought to strengthen its relationship with the surrounding community and urban fabric. Historically disconnected from Peachtree Street, the campus lacked meaningful pedestrian engagement despite its prominent location. HGOR’s design transforms the hospital’s edge into an inviting public realm by introducing expanded sidewalks, shaded streetscapes, and a 12,000 SF, multi-level plaza that connects the hospital directly to its surrounding mixed-use district. The result is a more accessible, visible, and community-oriented healthcare environment that supports patients, staff, and neighbors alike.
Balancing Exposure and Refuge
At the heart of the project, the expansive new plaza creates a layered transition between the hospital and the street. Slightly recessed from street level, the space reduces noise and visual clutter from the busy roadway while maintaining a strong connection to the sidewalk. A bosque of tightly spaced, pollarded Elm trees forms a shaded outdoor room, offering a feeling of both refuge and openness within a highly urban setting.
Turning the Campus Toward the Street
HGOR redefined the hospital’s frontage along Peachtree Street and Collier Road by introducing broad, tree-lined sidewalks that create a more comfortable and inviting pedestrian experience. These improvements establish a stronger visual and physical connection between the hospital and the surrounding neighborhood, transforming what was once an inward-facing campus into an active urban edge.
Stormwater as a Visible Design Feature
Stormwater management is fully integrated into the public realm through permeable pavers in the plaza and subtle grading that allows water to be captured and infiltrated on-site. Additional bio-detention areas within the entry court further enhance environmental function while also shaping the character and experience of the space.
Connecting People, Programs, and Place
A multi-level plaza provides direct access between the hospital lobby and the expanded streetscape, supporting daily use as well as larger gatherings and events tied to the adjacent auditorium. An active-use facility along the plaza edge introduces additional energy to the street frontage, reinforcing the hospital’s presence as part of the neighborhood rather than separate from it.
