Top Children’s Hospital Architecture Firms of 2026

Between January 2026 and May 2026, our team contracted an independent research firm (1), which conducted a comprehensive study of children’s hospital architecture firms across the United States. The team analyzed 32 firms specializing in pediatric healthcare design using a system that weighs multiple performance factors. The firms were evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Location / Geographic Reach (20%) — National and regional presence, multi-office footprint
• Average Review Score (20%) — Client satisfaction ratings, industry recognition
• Healing-Centered Design Innovation Score (30%) — Evidence-based design leadership, pediatric-specific research, award-winning innovations
• Integrated Services Breadth (A/E/P + Interior Design) (20%) — One-stop-shop capabilities vs. specialized services
• Evidence-Based Design Publications / Thought Leadership (10%) — Published research, white papers, speaking engagements, industry contributions
• Specialty — Unique positioning in the children’s hospital market

After applying our weighted system, the team rank-ordered the firms based on their total scores. The table below showcases the top-performing architecture firms, with in-depth reviews following each entry.

Top Children’s Hospital Architecture Firms in 2026

In the table below, we break down the leading firms transforming pediatric healthcare environments across the United States.

1. BSA, for Integrated Healing, Learning, and Discovery Environments

BSA stands as a trusted, integrated partner that transforms how people heal, learn, and discover through evidence-based design. The firm has grown to eight national studios, positioning the firm as a comprehensive solution provider for children’s hospital projects. What sets BSA apart is its unique ability to deliver architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning services under one roof, eliminating coordination challenges and accelerating project timelines.

The firm’s portfolio includes transformative pediatric projects like the Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health Maternity Tower, the North Carolina Children’s Hospital Masterplan, and the Children’s Mercy Kansas City Sports Medicine Center. BSA’s design philosophy centers on purposeful, outcome-focused environments where the impact of design is measured in performance gains. The firm actively publishes evidence-based design research, hosts the BSA By Design podcast series featuring healthcare design insights, and has won multiple AIA design awards for its pediatric work.

• Location: Indianapolis, IN + 7 additional studios
• Average Review Score: 4.7/5.0
• Services Offered: Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Interior Design, Commissioning, Sustainability

2. NBBJ, for Large-Scale Academic Medical Centers

NBBJ has established itself as a global design powerhouse known for large-scale children’s hospital projects at prestigious academic medical centers. The firm’s “Whole Health” design philosophy reshapes how and where care is provided, creating purposeful experiences for patients, families, and staff.

Notable children’s hospital projects include Nationwide Children’s Hospital Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion, Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital with the innovative interactive digital “Loma Land” experience, UCSF Pediatric Stad Center featuring nature-inspired multisensory environments, and Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic. The firm publishes extensive thought leadership on pediatric healthcare design, including research on the “Front Door Effect” demonstrating how entry design impacts healing for young patients.

• Location: Seattle, WA + global offices
• Average Review Score: 4.5/5.0
• Services Offered: Architecture, Interior Design, Environmental Graphic Design, Master Planning, Medical Planning

3. ZGF Architects, for Pediatric Inpatient Towers and Research Facilities

ZGF Architects, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, has built a national reputation for designing beautiful children’s hospitals that enable health systems to deliver the best pediatric care while allowing kids to be kids, even while hospitalized. Working with several top children’s hospitals on the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll, ZGF understands the unique challenges facing pediatric academic medical centers.

ZGF’s children’s hospital portfolio includes Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Seattle Children’s Building Care, Cincinnati Children’s Critical Care Building, Children’s Hospital Colorado East Tower Addition, Rady Children’s Hospital ICU and Emergency Services Pavilion, and University Health Women’s & Children’s Hospital. What distinguishes ZGF is its commitment to evidence-based design research and publication, including a spectral lighting system for Cincinnati Children’s NICU.

• Location: Portland, OR + national offices
• Average Review Score: 4.3/5.0
• Services Offered: Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, Environmental Graphic Design

4. Tsoi Kobus Design, for Proton Therapy and Pediatric Research Centers

Tsoi Kobus Design brings specialized expertise in healthcare and life sciences planning to children’s hospital projects, with particular strength in proton therapy facilities and pediatric research centers. Now part of DLR Group, Tsoi Kobus maintains its reputation for creating award-winning environments that integrate cutting-edge technology with elegant design.

The firm’s children’s hospital work includes Boston Children’s Hospital Karp Family Research Laboratories, University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, and numerous proton therapy facilities that serve pediatric populations, including Cincinnati Children’s Pediatric Proton Therapy Center and University of Pennsylvania Health System Roberts Proton Therapy Center.

Tsoi Kobus emphasizes Lean Design strategies to help clients manage resources and position themselves for operational success. The firm’s focus on patient experience and future adaptivity creates beautiful, healing spaces that anticipate evolving care models.

• Location: Boston, MA (New England focus)
• Average Review Score: 4.2/5.0
• Services Offered: Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Healthcare Planning, Proton Therapy Expertise

5. Page, for Ambulatory Care and Outpatient Pediatrics

Page, formerly known as EYP Architecture & Engineering, brings extensive design-build experience to children’s healthcare facilities. The firm maintains a national presence with particular strength in ambulatory care and outpatient pediatric facilities that serve children outside traditional hospital settings.

Page’s standout pediatric project is the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Center for Advanced Pediatrics. This project exemplifies Page’s approach to creating engaging, non-clinical environments that support children’s emotional well-being during outpatient visits. The firm also designed the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Kay Research Center, a facility designed to captivate a child’s imagination and involve them in exploration beyond the realm of illness.

• Location: Washington, D.C. + national offices
• Average Review Score: 4.1/5.0
• Services Offered: Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Environmental Graphics, Interiors

6. FreemanWhite, for Regional Critical Care Towers

FreemanWhite, which is now part of Haskell, brings regional focus and specialized expertise in critical care pediatric facilities to the Southeast market. The firm has established itself as a trusted partner for complex children’s hospital expansion and renovation projects requiring deep NICU and PICU design knowledge.

FreemanWhite’s signature project is the Wolfson Children’s Hospital Critical Care and Baptist Arrival Tower, a seven-story building that includes a high-level neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric intensive care unit, and neuro intensive care capabilities. This facility showcases the firm’s expertise in designing highly specialized environments for the sickest children, with advanced technology integration and family-centered amenities that support long NICU/PICU stays.

• Location: Jacksonville, FL (Southeast regional focus)
• Average Review Score: 4.0/5.0
• Services Offered: Architecture, Planning, Critical Care Design

The Top Children’s Hospital Architecture Firms by Subcategory

We also broke down the top firms into three subcategories based on specialty.

1. The Top Children’s Hospital Architecture Firms by Integrated Service Offerings

2. The Top Children’s Hospital Architecture Firms by Evidence-Based Design Leadership

3. The Top Children’s Hospital Architecture Firms by Project Scale & Complexity

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a children’s hospital architecture firm different from a general healthcare architecture firm?

Children’s hospital architecture firms specialize in creating healing environments specifically designed for pediatric patients, from infants to adolescents. These firms understand the unique physical, psychological, and developmental needs of children and their families. Key differentiators include expertise in designing spaces that reduce anxiety through playful yet sophisticated environments, incorporating family-centered care models with extended family accommodations, implementing evidence-based design strategies proven to improve pediatric outcomes, and creating flexible spaces that can adapt from NICU to adolescent care.

How long does it typically take to design and build a children’s hospital or major pediatric expansion?

The timeline for a children’s hospital project varies significantly based on project scope, complexity, and delivery method. A major children’s hospital tower typically requires 18-24 months for design development followed by 30-42 months for construction, totaling 4-5.5 years from initial planning to opening. Smaller expansions or specialty centers may follow a faster track of 12-18 months for design and 18-30 months for construction. Integrated design-build approaches or firms offering comprehensive A/E/P services can potentially compress timelines through improved coordination and reduced RFIs.

What are the most important factors to consider when selecting a children’s hospital architecture firm?

Selecting the right architecture firm for your children’s hospital project requires evaluating several critical factors. First, assess pediatric-specific experience by reviewing the firm’s portfolio of completed children’s hospital projects. Second, consider integrated service capabilities, since firms offering architecture, engineering, planning, and interior design under one roof can eliminate coordination gaps and accelerate timelines. Third, evaluate evidence-based design leadership through published research, award recognition, and measurable outcomes from previous projects. Finally, review the firm’s collaborative process, stakeholder engagement model, geographic reach, and ability to support innovation in healing-centered design.

Ready to Transform Your Children’s Hospital Project?

Choosing the right architecture firm for your children’s hospital project requires careful consideration of integrated capabilities, evidence-based design expertise, and proven pediatric healthcare experience. The firms featured in this ranking represent the top tier of children’s hospital architecture in 2026, each bringing unique strengths to pediatric healthcare environments.

Schedule a Discovery Call with BSA to explore how integrated A/E/P + interior design services can transform your vision for healing, learning, and discovery into reality.

(1) First Page Sage conducted research.