UHS Hospital

San Antonio, Texas

In order to increase capacity to meet the needs of the growing community and region, the state-of-the-art University Health Women’s and Children’s Hospital in San Antonio now features a 14-story, 697,000 SF tower and podium to accommodate around 300 patient beds, a dedicated pediatric emergency department, private NICU, and women’s urgent care center.

The hospital design was not meant to feel feminine but instead wanted to focus on family-centered care, mirroring the beauty of the surrounding area, and showcase cutting-edge initiatives as they are seeking LEED silver certification for the project. Project partners Marmon Mok, ZGF Architects, and JE Dunn put together a plan created with evidence-based design principles including care given to provide natural light, expansive views of nature, private patient rooms, and ample space for families. According to Marmon Mok, “The tower’s design establishes a distinct identity for the new facility while alluding to the massing and visual language of the broader University Hospital campus. The four-story Women’s & Children’s podium was positioned abutting yet perpendicular to the existing Sky Tower, while the new 10-story tower that arises sits slightly apart from Sky Tower and slightly askew on its podium to maximize views of the rugged Hill Country savannahs to the north, to strategically abate the solar heat gain and glare of Texas summers, and to distinguish the new hospital within the campus.”

A key part of the project is the 202,200 SF of aluminum composite material used to cover the tower, podium, and the façade of the parking garage. KSC fabricated these custom aluminum composite panels with a fire-resistant core offsite and shipped them for quicker installation. Offsite fabrication allowed for the campus to continue business-as is, minimizing disruptions.

Our work on this project was selected as both a 2024 TEXO Distinguished Building Award winner and a 2024 AGC-TBB Outstanding Construction Award winner in the specialty contractor – exterior categories.