Mount Olympus looms large in the 100-acre campus' design. From views of the majestic peak through large windows to a massive rock fountain at the entrance and the color palette throughout the buildings, interior designers aimed to bring the outdoors inside to create a healing environment.

The health care industry has realized “the provision of care is not just in the science of medicine, but that you have to care for the whole being,” said Lynn Befu, who was the campus's top interior designer as director of interior architecture for the San Francisco-based firm Anshen + Allen.

And there's science behind Intermountain Healthcare's use of stone, wood, artwork depicting nature, lots of light and earthy colors like browns, blues and greens.

“You're not going to see a lot of hospital whites in this campus and that's by design,” said campus spokesman Jess Gomez.

Studies have shown exposure to real or simulated nature scenes can quickly relieve stress and boost comfort levels, reducing factors such as blood pressure. According to the Center for Health Design, one study found patients recovering from abdominal surgery who had a bed-side view of trees took fewer pain pills than those whose rooms overlooked a brick wall.

And natural lighting can improve health, too, according to the center. Patients with brightly lit rooms report less stress, take fewer analgesic medications and leave the hospital more quickly.

All patients will have their own rooms with views of either Mount Olympus or the Oquirrhs. (Decorated with honey-colored wood, they also have fold-out sofas for guests.) Some operating rooms have one-way windows for the benefit of the doctors and nurses. Alcoves built for visitors feature floor-to-ceiling glass.

The newborn intensive care unit's four suites were decorated to reduce stress with natural themes of a farm, cherry tree, sky and pond.

The campus also includes a walking path along Little Cottonwood Creek, two water fountains and four gardens. One is a labyrinth outside the heart and lung center. According to Intermountain Healthcare, such focused walking can lower blood pressure and reduce chronic pain and insomnia.

David Grauer, the hospital's administrator, anticipates seeing patients “come out, get some fresh air . . . gather their thoughts, reflect on what they've just learned. It can be a very difficult time.”

Patients may also be surprised to find themselves walking on carpet in many places instead of linoleum, including in the main floor of the thoracic intensive care unit, usually the most sterile of places.

Grauer said the carpet is anti-microbial, so it is just as clean as hard surfaces like vinyl. It also reduces noise, a key factor in tamping down stress.

Befu said she also used carpet to signal walkers to be quiet, like near the entrance to the main meditation room, which is located near some of the hospital's busiest spots: the surgery waiting room and the entrance to the heart center. She altered the quality of light near the meditation room, using honey onyx stone to cast a golden hue.

There are other subtle ways designers used materials to create mood. The women's center is meant to celebrate birth “so there's a lighter, bubblier feeling in the materials,” Befu said, pointing to a circular design on the floors.

By comparison, the heart center is all about technology. It's the only place on the campus where the technology of the building - the beams and columns - are exposed. She said she used a basket-weaving motif to highlight the importance of weaving medical equipment with personal care.

“It's not just machines that are going to cure you, but they're there,” Befu said.

Hospital administrators know patients have a difficult time gauging the quality of medical care they receive. But they do judge their experience in part on the environment.

“We want people to feel like they're getting the best care,” said Grauer.

hmay@sltrib.com

The philosophy behind the new medical center

Private admission rooms

Each check-in booth is separated by dividers. Patients are then taken into private rooms to provide their personal information, outside of the view and hearing range of other patients.

Soothing images of nature

Landscape paintings are plentiful on the IMC campus. Studies have shown exposure to real or simulated nature scenes can quickly relieve stress and boost comfort levels, reducing factors such as blood pressure.

Plenty of natural light and views

Designers aimed to bring the outdoors inside to create a healing environment.

Warm tones and use of carpet

Anti-microbial carpet, which is just as clean as hard surfaces like vinyl, is featured throughout the hospital campus. It reduces noise, a key factor in tamping down stress.

Decor to create distinct areas

Each of the five patient buildings on the IMC campus feature different colored carpet and walls, and unique artwork, to make them distinct and easy to find.

Gardens for quiet reflection, healing

Outside the building, several "healing gardens" and water fountains provide places where patients, their families and staff can take time out to relax.