Beginning as a simple clapboard building in 1894, Parkland Hospital steadily grew into the premier, full-scale medical facility of Dallas. Famous for being the hospital John F. Kennedy was brought to after being fatally shot on November 22, 1963, Parkland Hospital is better known locally for its many years of dedicated medical service. Despite its iconic role in history, age finally caught up with the hospital as it slowly became too outdated and undersized to adequately care for its many patients. To rectify the hospital’s problem, construction began in 2010 on a $1.27 billion replacement -the New Parkland Hospital -an undertaking more than twice the size of its predecessor.
Spanning over 2 million square feet and 18 stories, the completion of New Parkland Hospital required the combined efforts of BARA, a joint venture between Balfour Beatty Construction, Austin Commercial, H.J. Russell & Company and Azteca Enterprises, and architects from both HDR and Corgan. Together, the companies developed designs for a state-of-the-art facility featuring 862 full-service rooms, cutting-edge medical technology, a stand-alone clinic, parking structures and several support facilities. The team also aimed to “put the park back in Parkland” by designing a campus-like maze of landscaped paths, gardens and green space to surround the complex.