Joplin After the Storm

As most are aware, May 22, 2011 brought an EF-5 tornado through the heart of Joplin, Missouri. The storm caused a state of emergency, and destroyed not only structures, but the city’s ability to deal with the aftermath. St. John’s Mercy Regional Medical Center was one of the many buildings eviscerated by the gale force winds and rocket like debris, leaving the community ill-equipped to respond to the growing medical needs brought on by the tragedy.

Within days of the event, Mercy sprung in to action, assembling a team of architects, engineers, and contractors to tackle the challenge of a replacement hospital for the city of Joplin. Archimages was brought on at the outset to assist with site selection, as well as planning and programming for the new facility. Drawing from our 20 year relationship and recent rebranding efforts, we were uniquely equipped to support the process.

As the new 890,000 square-foot design took shape, it was important to both Mercy and the Joplin community to incorporate storm resistant capabilities. These state of the art adaptations included ideas from placing mechanical and electrical equipment safely underground to installing windows that could withstand 250 mph winds.

We are proud to have assisted Mercy’s efforts within the community, and excited to state that the facility is now open for business, accommodating 360 hospital beds, diagnostic areas, and various clinic services. It was an incredible experience to watch as Mercy implemented various interim strategies to serve the community during progress towards a permanent solution and a true honor to have taken a role on a marquee project for Mercy, Archimages, and the Joplin community.