Regis A. Lepage Surgical Pavilion

Taking inspiration from its former history as a mill town, this new 69,167 s.f. surgical suite weaves together elements representing this community and its textile heritage.  The hospital’s expanded surgical pavilion houses six operating rooms, two ambulatory procedure rooms, laboratory and pharmacy space. Its design concept touches on color and materials used throughout the hospital campus, successfully uniting many diverse elements.  Colors and materials were chosen to reflect the hospital’s care and concern for its patients and contribute to creating a healing environment. The color palette is soothing to patients in waiting rooms, and can also help with surgeon eye fatigue when also applied to operating rooms.

The exterior façade is brick and granite, consistent with other buildings on the campus.  To approximate the inspiration concept of a textile, varying subtle shades of brick were used to represent a “woven” pattern honoring the men and women who worked looms in the now-closed mills. The logic behind the brick pattern is described on the attached diagram. Other exterior materials are Maine granite, art glass panels complementing the existing hospital chapel, and glass tile in shades of blue traditionally associated with the Virgin Mother.

The entry vestibule is an etched glass tower depicting the original hospital’s dome and a copper “crown,” linking the new entrance to a long-familiar image of the medical center from its earliest days.  Interior finishes pay homage to the textile heritage: ceiling panels are made of lace encased in a translucent material, and the ceramic tile wall and major copper lighting fixture have a floral motif.

The reception desk is Maine (Freshwater Pearl) granite faced with back-lit pale blue panels. A bas relief wood carving from Germany, long associated with the hospital, adds warmth and welcome to the lobby.

The lobby waiting area features high performance carpet resembling silk carpets. The furniture is purposely varied, representing the community of Lewiston-Auburn: past, present and future. Above the seating areas are LED backlit ceiling panels cut into a pattern based on the matelassé coverlets of a local Bates Manufacturing Company.

In designing for the future, environmentally responsible elements were added to the project wherever possible. For example, the building’s construction meets Maine Advanced Building Design standards set by Efficiency Maine and Energy Star – the first hospital in Maine to earn this distinction. The flooring is made of recycled materials and enjoys the added benefit of not requiring stripping or the use of toxic chemicals in cleaning/upkeep.