Lisa Ross Birth & Women’s Center

Poltronieri Tang & Associates has worked with the staff of the Lisa Ross Birth and Women’s Center in Knoxville Tennessee to program, plan and design a new facility.  This 12,000 square foot building will contain both a women’s health center and a birthing center.  The Center is designed to focus on two separate theme gardens.  The “Health Garden” is a public courtyard located in the physical center of the building and will be accessible to all patients, staff and community members. The “Birthing Garden” is an enclosed private space, only accessible to laboring women, their family, friends and caregivers. 

In addition to the two gardens, special design features will include:

• A “water wall” feature at the building’s main entrance.

• Indoor and outdoor play spaces for siblings.

• A bell tower where family members will be able to symbolically announce the birth of their new baby to the rest of the community.

• A retail shop that will sell women’s health items and serve as a center for the exchange of used maternity and baby items.

• A women’s health library, resource and conference center.

The four birthing suites will each open directly onto the Birthing Garden and include a private whirlpool bath. The suites will share a family kitchen and living room with fireplace.  The living room will include a history nook with the photos and birth stories of center alumnae.

The building is designed to be particularly sensitive to the microclimate, natural elements and vistas of the site.  The proposed design addresses issues of energy efficiency and conservation, and is responsive to solar orientation and lunar location.  The building will be constructed utilizing recycled and sustainable materials and resources.

In addition to programming, planning and design of the building, Poltronieri Tang & Associates has provided the Lisa Ross Birth and Women’s Center with fundraising materials and project management services.

"Poltronieri Tang took the thoughts, visions, and dreams of our staff and transformed them into a beautiful building design. Poltronieri Tang understands that birth is much more than a physical experience.  In addition to a sensible layout the firm designed garden spaces, a water wall and a bell tower. These are all elements that bring aesthetic symbolism and meaning to the birth experience.  They bring the whole family together and anchor them to the birth moment forever. This is something that no other architect we have dealt with before managed to do.  We believe that because Laura is the mother of four she used her own experiences to create ideal space, both inside and outside the birth room.The generosity of spirit evident in Poltronieri Tang’s work have lifted the spirits of the staff and board at the Lisa Ross Birth & Women’s Center."

Cliff Honiker

SERENE WARM INCLUSIVE ACCESSIBLE SECURE COMFORTABLE LOVING STRONG PROUD SAFE LAUGHTER FILLED SUPPORTIVE