Project Narrative and rendering provided by MMW Architects
Barrett Hospital & HealthCare has provided quality medical care to southwestern Montanans and visitors since 1923. In early 2008 after a year of internal discussions about the limitations of the existing hospital building, BHH’s Board of Trustees retained industry professionals to conduct a thorough analysis of available options for ensuring BHH could continue to fulfill the mission of providing healthcare services to all community members.
MMW Architects continued their long-standing relationship with Barrett Hospital & HealthCare by designing a new, two-story, 75,000 s.f. replacement hospital. The hospital is a critical care facility with 18 beds, and includes complete inpatient and outpatient services. MMW Architects partnered with Davis Partnership Architects to provide programming and schematic design services. Site design work included careful planning for the new 20-acre site that will allow future hospital expansions and construction of other campus buildings.
Improved insulation, energy-efficient windows, and efficient mechanical equipment will help reduce energy and maintenance costs over the long term. Carpet, paint, and other indoor materials have been selected to minimize indoor air pollutants - which is especially important in the healing environment of a hospital. The project also includes regionallysourced materials, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, and energy-efficient elevators.
Barrett Hospital & HealthCare is a specific type of hospital called a Critical Access Hospital (CAH). CAH’s must be located in a rural area over 35 miles distance from another hospital, or 15 miles from another hospital in mountainous terrain or areas with only secondary roads.
The city of Dillon is located in the Rocky Mountains of Southwestern Montana. The population is approximately 5,000 with a total county population of approximately 12,000. The economy is dependent upon agriculture, education, mining, local, and federal government, and tourism.
As the County Seat of Beaverhead County, Dillon is the economic center for sixty miles in all directions. The United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, School District 10, and Barrett Hospital & HealthCare are major employers. Beaverhead County is the largest cattle-producing county in Montana.
