Children’s Health Plano Heart Center Cardiology and Fetal Clinic
The Heart Center inside the Children’s Health Specialty Center 2 Plano is one of many collaborative efforts between Children’s Health and UT Southwestern. This clinic addresses pivotal challenges in pediatric and fetal cardiology care with inclusive design and a flexible plan that allows the clinic to adapt easily to meet fluctuating needs.
Children of all ages, expectant mothers, and hardworking caregivers alike enjoy a welcoming atmosphere with a minimalist but playful aesthetic and streamlined wayfinding.
Knowing that families who visit the clinic come in all shapes and sizes, we created a variety of seating options to ensure a sense of belonging for everyone. Family-style arrangements and cozy bench nooks allow all patients—from toddlers to teenagers, along with their parents—to find comfort, whether that means enjoying a duck-shaped chair or working on a laptop in a calmer, more isolated niche.
The original structure of this space was deep, with windows only on its narrow ends. Without significant access to natural light, we had to get creative. Integrated lighting, interior windows, glazed partitions, and playful balloon lights (a reference to the Children’s Health logo) combine to pull a soothing level of light throughout.
The fetal clinic has its own entrance and waiting area, distinct from the pediatric clinic. This offers expectant mothers who are navigating complex pregnancies a soothing, hospitality-inspired environment and a bit of privacy.
A core goal for this design was improving patient flow and privacy without compromising collaborative care. Our solution? The onstage/offstage model. A concept derived from the theater, this model enables direct patient and family movement from waiting area to exam rooms, without entering staff areas. It streamlines the patient experience and reduces wait times, also allowing physicians to work together in spaces hidden from patient view.
The onstage/offstage model also addresses the desire for operational flexibility. At the Plano Heart Center, the staff workspaces connect equally sized exam and echo rooms into pods—one per team. This allows the cardiology and fetal clinics to function as a cohesive accordion, expanding or contracting to meet daily spatial demands.
