RESULTS BEYOND ARCHITECTURE
HEALTHCARE MASTER PLANNING
HEALTHCARE MASTER PLANNING
Every healthcare facility has the potential to shape the well-being of its community. As your partner in healthcare master planning, we help you realize that potential by crafting a thoughtful, future-focused roadmap that not only meets your immediate needs but anticipates challenges and opportunities in the years to come. From single buildings to multi-campus expansions, our transdisciplinary team — architects, engineers, planners, interior architects, sustainability experts, and digital visualization specialists — works hand-in-hand with you and your stakeholders to bring your vision to life.
We believe a master plan is the foundation for improving patient care, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth. Together, we’ll create spaces that better serve patients and caregivers now and in the future.
WHY A MASTER PLAN?
1. Support and connect to your strategic plan
2. Prevent short sighted decisions that compromise your future vision
3. Reflect the culture of your organization
4. Engage the community to build trust
5. Engage diverse staff participation to build system wide energy
6. Enhance recruitment and retention of healthcare providers
7. Predict future financial expenditures for both maintenance and growth
8. Provide a fundraising platform for donor engagement
MASTER PLAN OPTIONS
As your healthcare organization navigates the future, the scope of your master plan becomes critical to meeting both current and long-term needs. Whether you’re optimizing a single building’s efficiency, planning for a cohesive medical campus, or managing the complexities of a multi-campus system, we collaborate with you to develop master planning solutions that align with your unique needs and goals.
Understanding that healthcare facilities face constant change, we deliver strategic recommendations in three timelines to ensure you have a clear, actionable plan at every stage of your facility’s development:
• Immediate (less than 1 year): Addressing pressing needs and challenges
• Short term (3-5 years): implementing growth strategies
• Long term (10–15-years): Building a vision that anticipates future growth
OUR APPROACH
A transdisciplinary approach to your master plan means assembling the appropriate team, including not only planners and architects, but also operational specialists, engineers, and cost consultants.
From project inception through occupancy, we listen and engage to discover opportunities, craft experiences that solve for your vision and goals, and execute on master planning solutions that elevate your performance. Together we achieve results beyond architecture.
Regenerative Mindset
Our Sustainability Philosophy:
We work every day toward a goal of designing projects that not only do less harm, but ultimately do good — regenerative projects that achieve a successful balance between environmental, economic, and human factors.
In healthcare master planning, this means creating adaptable, resource-efficient solutions that prioritize community wellness, reduce environmental impact, and support long-term operational sustainability.
Listen and engage to discover opportunities
RESULTS
Craft experiences that solve for your vision and goals
Elevate your performance through master planning
With every master plan, we focus on the HEWS, our focus areas of measurement:
HEALTH: We design environments that elevate the health and wellness of people who use them.
ENERGY: We use a smart, responsible design approach to reduce the energy demand of our projects and practice.
Master Planning Process
Our process follows four phases, Discover, Create, Implement, and Measure, that provide a seamless approach and consistent communication for your team and ours. The process (left) outlines the general steps we follow and adapt for master planning. Rest assured that we recognize each client and plan is unique; therefore, our process will be specific to your needs - whether your master plan is focused on short term, immediate or long term solutions.
WATER: We design for the preservation and conservation of water.
SOCIAL EQUITY: We address universal design and social inequities through empathetic and intentional planning.
DISCOVER
GOAL: Initiate and establish the shared commitment to future success
ACTIONS: f Team Kickoff Meeting
f Strategic Session f Define Goals (Including Sustainability)
Before we set the vision for your healthcare master plan, we start by coming together to explore the why behind it. More than an introduction, this is where we dive into your organization’s guiding beliefs and principles, the foundations of your work that inspire everything you do.
During this phase, we also begin to shape the master plan’s purpose by identifying the unique needs to be addressed. Together, we set ambitious but achievable goals, from enhancing patient care to fostering a sustainable, resilient environment that supports health and well-being. We discuss what success will mean at every level—from operational
efficiencies to environmental impact—and establish ways to measure progress that go beyond metrics to capture the true value of each decision.
This isn’t just a kickoff—it’s a shared commitment to creating an environment that will heal, inspire, and serve your community for years to come.
Guiding Principles Example
BELIEFS
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
SUCCESS MEASURES STRATEGY
Services require specialization
Design for specialization
Create service line hubs of excellence
US News World Reports Achieve Top 20
WHY -
Do we need to build?
Patients deserve the best care
Design for patient and family experience
Improve wayfinding & positive distractions
Higher HCAHPS Scores
WHAT -
Do we need to build?
Staff deserves the best environment
Design for employer of choice
Improve standardization & adjacencies
Research & development drive innovation
Design for Academia
Convenient education for faculty & students
Improved Staff Retention
WHERE -
Do we need to build?
Ease of Recruitment
WHEN -
Do we need to build?
Care should be delivered in the appropriate setting
Design for Efficacy
Optimize to distribute care within the community
Stress Reducing Environment
HOW -
Do we need to build?
DISCOVER
GOAL: Define the Vision
Understand Strategic Plan
Visioning Session & Report
Every impactful healthcare project begins with a vision. In the early stages of master planning, we work alongside your team to immerse ourselves in your organization’s strategic plan, bringing your goals into sharp focus. Through collaborative visioning sessions, we dive deep to uncover not just the immediate needs but the hidden possibilities that could shape your facility’s future in meaningful ways.
A core part of this process is stakeholder mapping, where we get to know those who will be most affected by this transformation—patients, their families, caregivers, administrators, and the broader community. By understanding
Stakeholder Mapping
Measurement Criteria
what each group values, we ensure that every voice has a place in the design journey ahead, grounding the master plan in real needs and aspirations.
Together, we define what success will look like, establishing criteria that reflect the heart of your organization’s mission and providing direction for every step forward.
1 UNDERSTAND YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN
2
CLARIFY YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
• Perception of facility in the community?
• How does strategy impact facilities?
• Patients and family feedback?
• What could impact growth in the future?
• Budget aside, what are priority initiatives?
• Goals and desired schedule
• Complete planning study
3 YOUR STAKEHOLDER MAPPING
• Who are your key stakeholders?
• What will their role be during decision making process?
DISCOVER
GOAL: Research project, site and relevant benchmarks
ACTIONS: f Benchmarking
f Existing Condition Analysis
f Community Workshops
With the vision in place, we dive into a research phase centered on discovery. This stage is where we get to know the heart of the master plan—its site, community, and broader context. Engaging with the community is essential. We facilitate workshops that are fun and welcoming. allowing us to gather valuable insights directly from those who will be most impacted and bringing their voices to your leadership team.
Our research includes a deep analysis of existing conditions, combining site and data insights to reveal the unique potential and constraints of the location. This foundational knowledge forms our Knowledge Initiative—a comprehensive approach to gathering
f Site/Data Analysis
f Jurisdictional Requirements
information that drives impactful design. Through benchmarking similar projects and studying peer institutions’ successes, we identify best practices in patient care, sustainability, and operational efficiency. Using
data, expert insights, and observation, we can create a master plan options that aligns with the best of what’s possible while being grounded in your specific goals and context.
Benchmarking & Site Analysis
Carolinas Medical Center
PROVIDEHOLISTIC, COORDINATEDCASE
93% CLINICIANS RANKED CLINICAL CARE MODEL AS BETTER THAN PRIOR PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT
HONORMIND-BODY-SPIRIT
100% RANKED LCI AESTHETICS BETTER THAN PRIOR PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT
CELEBRATEHUMAN INTERACTION
78% ARE SATISFIED WITH OVERALL AESTHETICS
PRIORITIZATION
CREATE
GOAL: Define Programming and Prioritize Stakeholder Needs
ACTIONS: f Client Focus Groups f Blocking & Stacking
In the programming phase, we work closely with you to shape a plan that balances wellness, health, community, and achievement. Through focused client sessions and interactive workshops, we engage directly with stakeholders to capture input on programmatic needs, aligning their priorities with the master planning goals. Our approach allows us to map out the functions and spatial requirements that each building will need to support, giving you a clear picture of necessary spaces and resources.
f Functional/Spatial Relationships f Patient Experience Mapping
This detailed assessment also provides a framework for prioritizing investments, evaluating each element’s cost, magnitude, and potential impact. To ensure a patientcentered, people-centered approach, we perform “day-inthe-life” experience mapping, examining how spaces can
best support patient journeys and staff workflows. Ultimately, this program of requirements becomes the foundation for the master plan’s physical elements, including building footprint, stacking, and massing, setting a clear path for the next design phases.
Patient Experience Mapping Example One of Little’s Unique Service Offerings
CREATE
GOAL: Through conceptual design, test program scenarios within existing site
ACTIONS: f Brainstorming Session
f Site Layout
f Vehicular Traffic/Patient Flow
The conceptual design phase brings ideas to life, testing how the program can fit and function within the existing site. Through a collaborative brainstorming session, we explore various layouts and evaluate key elements that influence the long-term success of the master plan. This includes:
f Sustainability Modeling
f Quality Assurance Review
f Cost Analysis
Zoning restrictions and impact
Vehicular traffic and parking studies
Pedestrian/Patient flow diagrams
Opportunities for future growth
Approach to building identity
Sustainable opportunities
Relationship to existing hospital facilities
VILLAGEDRIVE OWENDRIVE
Conceptual
CONCEPT A
CONCEPT B
CONCEPT C
IMPLEMENT
GOAL: Deliver final report to guide potential implementation
ACTIONS: f Refinement of Selected Master Plan Option
f Design/Technical Presentation & Approvals
In this phase we use your guided input to bring our conceptual master plan(s) to life with greater detail, refining each element to align with your goals and budget. Working alongside contractors familiar with your needs, we build detailed cost models that provide clarity and confidence in the financial framework for your master plan.
f Align Costs
f Jurisdictional Approvals
f Final Report
Once a direction is embraced, we create options to support donor engagement and connect with the broader community, fostering transparency and excitement around the vision.
All gathered insights and plans are compiled into a comprehensive report, including:
• Building and site assessment
• Summary of Vision Session
• Summary of selected master plan option
• Economic analysis
• Conceptual design
• Cost analysis
• Executive Summary
The purpose of the report is to deliver an actionable conceptual design study that will serve as a solid foundation for which all future decisions regarding the master plan are made.
CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE
MEASURE IMPACT
GOAL: Measure master plan process success
ACTIONS: f Measure against goals & objectives of stakeholders
f Support of Strategic Plan
The final stage of the master planning process measures the impact of our work, evaluating how well the master plan meets stakeholder goals and aligns with your strategic vision. By reviewing outcomes, we assess how the plan enhances operations, patient experience, and community connection.
We also assist with scheduling and phasing strategies, donor engagement, and budget alignment, ensuring a sustainable path forward. This phase is about ensuring every aspect of the master plan supports lasting value, optimized resources, and care excellence.
f Scheduling/Phasing
f Donor Engagement
f Alignment with Budget
Overall, the master planning process is a journey of discovery, strategy, and collaboration, empowering
your organization to create a healthcare environment ready for today and adaptable to tomorrow.
From Master Plan to Completed Project Atrium Health MCP Pediatric Outpatient Center
STACKING DIAGRAM
Case Study
MCLEOD HEALTH: SEACOAST HOSPITAL MASTER PLAN
Little River, SC
As part of the master plan developed for McLeod Health at Seacoast Hospital, Little conducted interviews, reviewed the existing facility, and created options for campus expansion. The final plan includes site circulation, infrastructure improvements, additional parking, and an expanded central energy plant. New construction will include surgery and ICU expansion, a bed tower, and an enlarged emergency department.
Existing services like the lab, pharmacy, and imaging will be renovated. The hospital will grow by 136 beds. The team worked with a contractor to develop construction phases and cost estimates. They are currently building a staff parking deck to address shortages and create space for expansion.
*OPPORTUNITY SPACE
SURGERY EXPANSION LEVEL 1
SURGERY EXPANSION
LEVEL 1
Case Study
NEW PARKING DECK
HORIZONTAL EXPANSION
Levels
- 96 Beds
HORIZONTAL EXPANSION
Levels
- 96 Beds
CAPE FEAR VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER
Fayetteville, NC
Since its opening, Cape Fear Valley Hospital has grown from a 200-bed county hospital into today’s major medical center with 524 licensed beds and specialties in heart care, cancer treatment and surgical services. As demands continued to stress the original facility, Little was engaged in 2017 for campus master planning to identify growth zones for both inpatient and outpatient services, generate site options for adding parking, develop concepts for improved and expanded inpatient rooms, recommend future expansion options both horizontal and vertical.
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
ROOF GARDEN
Case Study
YUMA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
CAMPUS BOUNDARY
YUMA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Yuma, AZ
As part of a five-year facility master planning effort, Little was charged with completing a full survey of the existing campus, including a 406-licensed bed hospital, in collaboration with the Facility’s Strategic Planning Team. The final master plan includes blocking diagrams of the various departmental adjustments or relocations, and diagrammatic department test fits. Site access, pedestrian, visitor and staff flow, and parking strategies were also studied to better improve patient and staff experiences.
RENOVATE AND EXPAND IMAGING
RENOVATE AND EXPAND SUPPORT
RENOVATE UNUSED FOR NEW PSYCHIATRIC ED
RENOVATE LAB
RENOVATE EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT WAITING
RESTROOMS AND SECURITY
RENOVATE WOMEN’S CENTER
RESERVE FOR WOMEN’S CENTER EXPANSION
SURGERY EXPANSION ORS AND PACU
SURGERY RENOVATION
PREP/RECOVERY AND STERILE CORE
ENDOSCOPY RENOVATION
Case Study
CATAWBA VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER
Hickory, NC
Catawba Valley Medical Center, the largest non-profit hospital in the region, is deeply embedded in its community. It offers a comprehensive range of medical services, both inpatient and outpatient. To further its commitment to exceptional patient care and a positive staff experience, the hospital leadership engaged Little to develop strategic solutions that support its growth—across immediate, near-term, and long-term goals. The hospital’s existing infrastructure and operations were thoroughly assessed through interviews, site visits, and visioning sessions. This process informed the development of thoughtful solutions that optimize the current facilities while also planning for larger-scale growth to expand the campus footprint.
ROOM DIAGRAMS
STACKING DIAGRAMS
Case Study
MCLEOD HEALTH: EL BETHEL CAMPUS MASTER PLAN
Conway, SC
McLeod Health sought Little’s expertise to masterplan and phase a new comprehensive healthcare campus located in Conway, South Carolina. The irregularly shaped site is located on the West side of Conway, away from two primary bodies of water, which have consistently prohibited patients from accessing medical care to the East during moderate/severe weather events. This new campus will alleviate patient access and provide a community area of refuge during future weather events. The site is located along a primary vehicular artery connecting two major thoroughfares across Horry County, joining I-95 to the coast. With great visible frontage, the site also shares a boundary with an adjacent new high school yielding opportunities for shared site benefits and infrastructure improvements. The site was designed to accommodate six buildings and required parking across a phased plan. Site functions include primary and urgent care, rehab facility, imaging facility, freestanding emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, multi-specialty clinic, and a hospital with up to 40 beds.
WETLANDS
24 BED HOSPITAL
FREESTANDING EMERGENCY
DETENTION AREA
AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER
HEALING GARDEN
REHAB, IMAGING & MED SHARE
URGENT CARE & PRIMARY CARE
HEALING GARDEN OPTION
MULTISPECIALTY & PRIMARY CARE
HELIPAD
WETLANDS
DETENTION AREA
24 BED HOSPITAL
FREESTANDING EMERGENCY
AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER HELIPAD
MULTISPECIALTY & PRIMARY CARE
URGENT CARE & PRIMARY CARE
GRAND BOULEVARD OPTION
WETLANDS
AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER
REHAB, IMAGING & MED SHARE
DETENTION AREA
MULTISPECIALTY & PRIMARY CARE
REHAB, IMAGING & MED SHARE
24 BED HOSPITAL
URGENT CARE & PRIMARY CARE
MAIN STREET OPTION
FREESTANDING EMERGENCY HELIPAD
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
LEED & WELL ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS 114
LEED & WELL PROJECTS 115+
Certified or Pursuing Certification
OFFICE LOCATIONS
CHARLESTON, SC
CHARLOTTE, NC
DURHAM, NC
NEWPORT BEACH, CA
ORLANDO, FL
WASHINGTON, DC
PRACTICES
COMMUNITY
• Civic
• Justice
• Schools
• Higher Education
HEALTHCARE
• Acute Care
• Specialty Centers
• Medical Office Buildings & Clinics
RETAIL
• Food
• Service
• Store Design
• Multi-Use & Adaptive Reuse
WORKPLACE
• Office
• Interiors
• Mixed-Use
• Critical Facilities
• Science & Technology
SERVICES
ARCHITECTURE
• Design
• Construction Administration
• Project Execution & Program Management
• Quality Assurance
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
• Interior Design
• Programming
• Space Planning
• Occupancy Strategy
• Change Management
BRAND EXPERIENCE
• Branding & Marketing
• Branded Environments
• Signage & Wayfinding
ENGINEERING
• Structural Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Lighting Design
• Low Voltage Engineering
PLANNING
• Master Planning
• Feasibility / Yield Studies
• Development Strategy
SITE DESIGN
• Landscape Architecture
• Civil Engineering
• Land & Master Planning
• Urban Design
• Site Development / Entitlements Consulting
SMART BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES
• IWMS Implementation & Support
• IoT Sensor Deployment & Integration
• Workplace / Tenant Experience Apps
• Building Analytics & Operational Insights
SUSTAINABILITY
• Sustainability Consulting
• Certification Management
• Building Performance Optimization
• Energy Modeling
• Daylight Modeling
• Embodied Carbon Analysis
• Life Cycle Analysis
• Life Cycle Cost Analysis
• Corporate & Building Feasibility Studies
VISUAL IMPACT
• Cinematic Storytelling
• Immersive Experiences
• Virtual Placemaking
“Little has absorbed our mission, understands our operations, and has helped us to create a facility that has transformed the patient and family experience.”
Peter Brunnick, CEO VIA Health Partners
