Creating a Destination for Rehabilitation with Mary Free Bed and Covenant HealthCare
In a joint venture with Covenant HealthCare, Mary Free Bed set out to create a rehabilitation hospital in Saginaw that would serve as a destination for inpatient and outpatient care throughout the region. The goal was clear: design a facility that attracts patients and visitors, improves the flow and efficiency of staff, and deepens care team integration and engagement. HED was selected to lead the design, collaborating through an integrated design process to bring this vision to life.
The design embraced the idea of an “environment of care,” in which every element of the physical space supports rehabilitation, restoration, and rejuvenation. Working closely with the program manager, HED applied a LEAN and evidence-based design approach to ensure that the facility’s layout and features would directly enhance the patient, family, and staff experience.
Arrival begins at the therapeutic North Garden, a welcoming outdoor space with activities for adults and children alike. Inside, patients and families encounter bold, uplifting colors balanced with natural tones, reinforcing both inspiration and calm. The check-in experience is designed for comfort and accessibility, leading into an open family support area filled with daylight and views of the garden. A ceiling-hung glass sculpture anchors the space, symbolizing lightness and hope.
Therapy is integrated throughout the facility in innovative ways. Corridors to the outpatient functions double as therapy paths, incorporating a Zero-G ceiling track anti-gravity mobility system. Daylight and views to the outdoors are prioritized in therapy and treatment areas, providing restorative visual connections to nature. The building is clearly zoned, with outpatient functions organized on the first floor and inpatient functions located on the two upper floors. Each inpatient floor includes dedicated gyms and therapy support spaces, with patient corridors again designed to be used as therapeutic environments. A second-floor skywalk links directly to the adjacent hospital, providing a seamless connection for the 80 percent of inpatients who will arrive through that route.
Artwork serves as another therapeutic layer. Inspirational messages animate functional spaces, while super-graphics of local landscapes appear at the headwalls of all inpatient bedrooms. Photographs of patients and staff working toward shared goals are strategically placed throughout the facility, celebrating achievement and reinforcing the organization’s culture of compassion and commitment.
Every aspect of the design works in concert to create a place where rehabilitation is not just clinical but experiential. By weaving therapy, art, nature, and community into the fabric of the hospital, Mary Free Bed and Covenant HealthCare, with HED’s integrated design team, created a setting that elevates patient care while strengthening staff efficiency and connection.
