Hospitality-Inspired Healthcare:
Prosser Memorial Health

The hospital will serve generations of local families in the small Washington community of Prosser, which made community connection an essential part of the design. As Director of Design at bcDESIGNGROUP during the Prosser project, Brooke Cinalli and her team worked closely with hospital leadership and the community to understand what they wanted from a new healthcare environment.

Prosser sits within a landscape of warm desert neutrals, Columbia basalt stone, and jade green mountains. Those regional characteristics became a natural source of inspiration, appearing across the hospital through color, texture, artwork, and views of the surrounding landscape. Family-oriented spaces were also incorporated into the design, recognizing that healthcare is often a shared experience for patients and the people who care for them. The result is a hospital that feels like an extension of the community itself.

Healthcare environments have always demanded more from their materials. Surfaces need to withstand constant use, frequent cleaning, and the daily activity of patients, families, caregivers, and support staff. At the same time, today's healthcare design increasingly looks to hospitality for inspiration, creating environments that feel more comfortable, approachable, and human.

Rather than relying on conventional healthcare materials, the design team selected surfaces that could introduce the warmth and visual sophistication of natural materials while meeting the practical requirements of the setting. Wilsonart Solid Surface became a key part of the overall palette.

Ice Statuario brings the look of natural marble to reception desks, nurse stations, patient check-in areas, and the cafeteria. Its white foundation and expressive gray veining create a refined, familiar aesthetic that feels more like a welcoming hospitality environment than a traditional clinical setting.

“Wilsonart has done a great job of bringing those natural variations that you would find in real marble,” Cinalli says. “The patterns mimic nature. Ice Statuario gives us the veined look that we wanted, unlike a more traditional Solid Surface with speckles. We wanted the patterns to feel approachable for the caregivers and welcoming at the desks.”

In healthcare, surfaces must stand up to repeated cleaning while minimizing opportunities for contamination. Wilsonart Solid Surface is non-porous and virtually seamless, making it well suited for high-use spaces where cleanability is critical. According to Cinalli, facilities teams have been impressed with the simple maintenance of Solid Surface, even after everyday use. “The facilities teams are very happy,” she says. “These surfaces support their efficiency, because they don’t have multiple steps to clean every day.”

One of the most distinct Solid Surface applications is a curved reception desk in the hospital lobby. Solid Surface was the natural choice for this eye-catching design moment — offering a rare combination of built-in performance and the ability to thermoform complex curves. The reception desk reflects the design philosophy of the whole facility, where curated surface selections allow performance and design to coexist beautifully.

This thinking also guided the selection of Wetwall waterproof wall panels for patient restrooms. The solid Aria White design was installed throughout the inpatient restroom shower areas, including larger extended suites designed to accommodate birthing tubs and additional support staff. In total, the material was used across approximately 26 patient rooms. Its clean, neutral appearance creates a hospitality-inspired backdrop that complements the broader material palette.

For Cinalli, however, the appeal of Wetwall goes beyond aesthetics. The modern alternative to tile is another example of the philosophy that shaped the project — allowing Cinalli and her team to achieve visual appeal and practical, efficient installation. Fewer seams and easier maintenance. A refined appearance and performance suited to a demanding healthcare environment. She never had to choose between project requirements, because Wetwall was the complete solution for spa-inspired spaces where moisture, cleaning, and infection control are constant considerations.

Sustainability was another consideration woven into the project's larger vision. The new facility is the first all-electric hospital in Washington — a milestone that reflects the project's broader commitment to responsible design.

For Cinalli, sustainability isn't limited to a product's environmental credentials. Longevity itself is part of the equation. “Longevity is sustainability,” she says. “Picking materials that are timeless and will last was one of our goals — for sustainability and long-term return on investment.”

That perspective informed the decision to use neutral, enduring materials such as Aria White rather than designs that could feel tied to a particular moment. The goal was to create an environment that would continue to feel appropriate years into the future while reducing the need for material replacement.

And by carefully examining everything from operating rooms to storage closets, the project team created efficiencies throughout the facility, while strategically planned growth corridors allow departments to expand as community needs evolve.

The new Prosser Memorial Health hospital is designed to serve its community for another 75 years and beyond. This new chapter is reflected in how the building feels — inspired by hospitality design, informed by the community, and durable enough to meet the realities of 24-hour healthcare.

The future of healthcare no longer requires designers and architects to choose between aesthetics, performance, sustainability, and long-term value. As seen in Prosser, thoughtful material selection can bring all of these goals together in one cohesive design.