As the new crown jewel of Houston Methodist Hospital, the Paula and Joseph C. (Rusty) Walter III Tower, completed in late 2018, stands tall in the Texas Medical Center skyline — carrying the hospital’s long history of leading medicine and excellent patient care into the next 50 years.

With the tower’s completion, Houston Methodist unites its multiple buildings in the Texas Medical Center into a cohesive, identifiable campus. The tower reinforces Houston Methodist’s architectural identity and connects outpatient, inpatient, and research — the cornerstones of the academic medical hospital.

The 22-story and nearly 1-million-square-foot tower features sophisticated cancer, neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgical suites specially designed for highly technical and minimally invasive image-guided heart and brain procedures. The tower also has two intensive care and six acute care floors, as well as a helipad, to increase the speed at which the staff can care for patients in need of life-saving treatments.

Responding to the dense, urban site, Page designed a curvilinear form — or “boomerang.” The exterior glass curtainwall and metal paneling reflect the Texas horizon, and this theme carries through the interior spaces. Entries, waiting areas, and patient floors are open, airy, and light-filled with a palette of blue and green. The artwork features artists’ interpretations of Texas skies. And inside the atrium, visitors are treated to the “Extending Arms of Christ” mosaic mural designed by Bruce Hayes.

Scheduled to open in 2027 and designed to fit with Walter Tower’s curvilinear form, Centennial Tower will stand as one of the tallest buildings in the Texas Medical Center (TMC) skyline, proudly representing Houston Methodist’s commitment to leading medicine. The Centennial Tower will add patient beds, an expanded emergency department, and advanced neuro- and cardiovascular surgical capabilities to the hospital’s flagship campus.

At 29 stories and with capacity for 382 private, inpatient beds and diagnostic and treatment spaces, Centennial Tower will connect to existing Houston Methodist buildings on multiple levels, allowing for the integration of care and operations. A warm wood-clad canopy with an oculus at a central drop-off entryway welcomes visitors into a light-filled, uplifting space.

Contemporary and empathetic design throughout creates a healing environment. The diagnostic and treatment platform is organized across seven floors and includes 19 ORs, imaging, and interventional radiology co-located to consolidate and improve patient experiences. The organ transplant program saves lives through efficiency and expertise, and a helistop offers quick transport for patients from surrounding community hospitals. The emergency department (ED) is easily accessible, and as part of being prepared for airborne infectious diseases, one pod of ED rooms can be isolated and transformed into a self-contained negative air-pressure unit.
Patient rooms are organized into three nursing neighborhoods, and the curvilinear shape of the tower provides spectacular views. A green roof on level 14 offers an outdoor space for respite and rejuvenation, connecting all to the healing power of nature in the heart of Houston.