June 10, 2025
Bruce Damonte/American Institute of Architects
The patient-centered design of Jefferson Health's Honickman Center earned it a Healthcare Design Award from the American Institute of Architects.
Jefferson Health's Honickman Center was awarded a prestigious architectural design award last week — the only building in the Philadelphia area to receive such a distinction this year.
The American Institute of Architects recognized the newly-opened center with a Healthcare Design Award last Thursday. It was among five health care buildings in the U.S. with construction costs greater than $25 million to receive the award.
The Honickman Center, at 1101 Chestnut St., has been praised for its interactive, patient-first approach and its sustainability and accessibility initiatives since it opened in March 2024. The building's architecture team included the New York City firm Ennead and Philly-based Stantec.
The 2025 AIA Healthcare Design Award Jury said in a statement that the building's human-centered approach made it stand out among the hundreds of submissions.
"Thoughtfully integrated into the city's fabric, it reflects both Jefferson's prominence as a healthcare provider and the unique character of Philadelphia," the jury said. "The design's attention to craft, detailing and overall sophistication — both inside and out — is truly commendable."
The $762 million building houses several of Jefferson Health's specialty departments. It has more than 300 exam rooms, 10 operating rooms, an onsite lab, a pharmacy and radiology services throughout its 462,000 square feet.
At 19-floors, the Honickman Center stands as one of the tallest buildings east of City Hall, but it has drawn particular praise for incorporating accessible and interactive elements that make for a thoughtful, patient-first design.
It has sensory-friendly furniture and quiet spaces for neurodivergent patients, and has interactive art installations scattered throughout.
Its clinical floor has grooved walls, meant to resemble sand on the beach, which invites patients to run their hands over the walls. The building's 15th floor has a rooftop terrace garden which was built as the centerpiece of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, which occupies the upper floors of the building.
The Honickman Center's exterior may look like a normal glass façade, but it was designed to minimize the amount of heat that can get through the windows while also visually mimicking fabric. The feature received a LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, an honor awarded to buildings that excel in sustainable design and operation.
"We see healthcare facilities as trusted civic institutions, not unlike libraries or museums," said Thomas Wong, partner at Ennead Architects to Healthcare Design. "Healthcare projects must participate in the city, both in the skyline and at the street level and everything in between, to welcome and engage the community by providing an elevated experience that enhances the delivery of care."
