N C ’ h

johnsonite
Case Study
N at i o n w i d e C h i l d r e n ’ s H o s p i ta l
February 2013
Whimsical Hospital Flooring Pattern Uses Approximately 500,000 Square Feet of Johnsonite
Vinyl Flooring
Long before construction on the Nationwide Children’s Hospital expansion began in
October, 2010, the project designers were drawing plans for an intricate and creative
interior design that used the healing power of nature and daylight to create a look of
whimsy to appeal to children.
Based in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the largest and most
comprehensive pediatric hospitals and research institutes in the United States. Designed
to address the unique needs of children and adult patients with childhood diseases, the
12-story replacement tower represents the latest advancements in family-centered care
and technology-enabled medicine, with a goal of effecting evidenced-based healing
design in the current expansion. The hospital’s expertise and outstanding clinical
programs include: Cardiology, Neonatology, Hematology/Oncology and Gastroenterology.
When describing the facility’s design strategy, Alisa Pinciotti, Senior Interior Designer
for Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said the goal was to create an ageless and timeless
look that used images from the natural environment to distract children and their
families from the stress associated with being in the hospital.
“From the details and amenities in the patient rooms and families lounges to the
“wows and whimsies” in the public spaces all threaded together by the artistic flooring
patterns, every aspect of the design is geared towards making the experience of the
families as positive as it can be,” said Pinciotti.
Contact:
Johnsonite
16910 Munn Rd.
Chagrin Falls, OH 44023
p. 800.899.8916
f. 440.543.5774
www.johnsonite.com
A key component of the facility’s interior design was a comprehensive and colorful
flooring design, consisting of arcs and curves. Kristin Ledet, Interior Design Manager
with FKP Architects in Houston, said that the complex design, developed with New
York-based Ralph Applebaum Associates, required solutions that met the criteria of a
large clear color palette. To meet these needs, specifiers selected Johnsonite’s Melodia
homogeneous vinyl flooring product. Melodia’s polyurethane-reinforced wear layer makes
it one of the most durable in the industry, which is a requirement for installations like a
hospital that will endure consistently heavy traffic. The subtle non-directional design of
the sheet vinyl makes it easy to incorporate in complex design patterns like Nationwide
Children’s, and the range of over 40 color choices offers great flexibility and freedom.
Currently, approximately 500,000 square feet of Melodia are being installed throughout
the building, as well as Granit Safe-T Safety Flooring – selected for the bathrooms due
to its unique slip resistant qualities.
Garry Ruick, President of Continental Office Environments, the project installer, said
his previous experience with Johnsonite made him confident that the product would
withstand the design and installation criteria for a project of this magnitude. “The
complexity of the design put a lot of demands on the installers and on the product
itself,” he said. “The Melodia needed to be flexible enough to be easily cut into the
many curves, shapes and designs, yet be strong enough to stand up to the performance
demands of a major hospital.”
Due to the intricate nature of the flooring design, a large amount of uninstalled pattern
cuts will be generated throughout the installation process. Not wanting to send clean
uninstalled product to the landfill, Commercial Office Environments and the Construction
Manager, Turner Construction Company, worked with Johnsonite to participate in the
company’s ReStart™ Recycling and Reclamation program ¬– an innovative, cradle-tocradle resilient flooring recycling program. To date, approximately nine large containers
of scrap have been returned to Johnsonite with an estimated 17 more to arrive over the
course of the project.
The program enables commercial flooring project scrap (rubber, vinyl and linoleum tile
and sheet, wall base, floor finishing accessories and tread-cuttings) to be collected
and returned to Johnsonite to be repurposed or recycled for other products or uses.
Additionally, excess raw material, scrap and off-spec product is captured and reused in
the manufacturing process or repurposed for other uses.
“ReStart allows building owners and specifiers to make environmental responsibility
a practical part of the way they do business,” said Diane Martel, Vice President for
Environmental Planning and Strategy for Tarkett. “Often waste removal is costly to
remove from the job site but with ReStart they are getting a ton of flooring job scrap off
the site at no additional cost, while minimizing the impact on the local environment.”
Since its inception, the ReStart program has recycled millions of pounds of material and
diverted it from landfills. Through this program, the company enables the end-user to
recycle product samples, project scrap and unused flooring material. Throughout the
production process materials are internally recycled in a closed-loop process, and the
recycling of unused flooring material into future products ensures that no material is
wasted and no material is sent to the landfill. Jim Hiscox, the returns coordinator for
the project at Johnsonite, said this project is set to be one of the largest returns the
program has received from one site.
“Laying out the floor pattern has been a challenge and every piece of flooring is
individually hand cut in the field. The fact that Johnsonite has been able to provide a
product that not only provides the desired aesthetic but also a program that minimizes
flooring waste is incredible,” said Ruick.
Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Says Pinciotti: “I frequently tour
many groups through the mock-up facility and the construction. I love sharing the work
in progress to reconnect with what a wonderful, unique project the team is facilitating.
We get mired in the details, but when you look at the big picture it is an amazing
facility that embodies evidence based design.”
“I’ve noticed there is often a challenge for specifiers to select materials that balance
their aesthetic, functional and environmental objectives for the project,” said Mark
Bischoff, Regional Business Manager for Johnsonite. “Our ReStart program allows
owners and designers to successfully achieve that combination. It’s nice to know that
Nationwide Children’s will not only be helping future generations through medicine, but
through the environment, too.”
When completed in 2012, the campus will have been expanded by more than 2.4
million square feet, and this expansion, combined with existing facilities, will enable
the hospital to continue groundbreaking advancements in diagnosis, treatment and
research.
Project Facts:
Country: USA
City/State: Columbus, Ohio
Type of Project: New construction
Installation Period: Ongoing
Architect: FKP Architects
Interior Designers: FKP Interiors and Ralph Applebaum Associates
Installer: Continental Office Environments
Installation Size: Approximately 500,000 square feet
Johnsonite Flooring Installed: Melodia Homogeneous Vinyl Sheet; Granit Safe-T Sheet
Vinyl
Johnsonite, headquartered in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is the leader in flooring solutions that integrate
design, function and life-safety, leading to enhanced productivity in high performance environments.
Sales, manufacturing operations and product distribution are located throughout North America. For
more information on Johnsonite products and systems, call (800) 899-8916 in the United States and
(800) 661-2162 in Canada or visit Johnsonite at www.johnsonite.com.
About Tarkett:
With 2009 revenues of €1.7 billion, Tarkett is a leading provider of innovative and sustainable flooring
and sports surfaces. Some 8,000 employees serve Tarkett’s customers in 100 countries and from 29
production sites. Since January 2007, Tarkett is owned by the Deconinck family (50%) and private
equity funds affiliated with KKR (50%). For further information visit Tarkett at www.tarkett.com.