Buchanan County Health Center (BCHC) Outpatient Expansion

Independence, Iowa

Buchanan County Health Center completed a 74,000-square-foot expansion and renovation guided by a 2014 master plan that modernizes its 1960s critical access hospital and reinforces its regional role. The project adds a welcoming main entrance and concourse, expanded primary and specialty clinics, and a state-of-the-art surgical center with extra procedure rooms and pre/post-op support.

Wellness, therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation were significantly expanded with larger gyms and studios, private therapy suites, and a dedicated cardiac rehab area. Updated locker rooms, home-like sleep study suites, and a renovated café and dining area create a more welcoming environment for patients, staff, and the community. Expanded clinic space supports growing services so more residents can access advanced care locally.

Design prioritized a patient-centered, healing environment by orienting the addition to maximize daylight and views, reinforcing the therapeutic link to nature. Durable, warm materials—zinc panels, Ipé wood, glass, travertine tile, and wood finishes—shift the building from institutional to uplifting and human-centered. A cantilevered second floor doubles as a covered drop-off and conceals rooftop mechanicals. Sustainable systems and infrastructure upgrades improve efficiency, resilience, and future capacity.

The modernized campus elevates care and caregiving, strengthens community trust and pride, and affirms BCHC's role as a visible community anchor promoting healing, prevention, and resilience for generations to come.

Project completed while at INVISION — Role: Medical Planner

Photos by Cameron Campbell; Integrated Studio