Brenna Costello
Vice President, Health Studio LeaderSmithGroupBrenna Costello is a nationally recognized healthcare architect and Vice President at SmithGroup, where she leads the Health Studio in Denver. With over two decades of experience, Brenna has directed the planning and design of more than 100 healthcare projects across the U.S., including high-profile rehabilitation centers such as the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Craig Hospital, and Rancho Los Amigos. Her work integrates rigorous medical planning with human-centered design to improve patient outcomes and elevate the care experience. In 2025, Brenna was elevated to Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA), a prestigious honor recognizing her leadership, design excellence, and mentorship in the field.
E90 – Designing for Tomorrow: A Replacement Hospital that Prioritizes Safety, Growth, and Community
Replacing a 30-year-old hospital isn’t just a capital project—it’s a strategic reinvestment in safety, access and community trust. In an era of climat…Replacing a 30-year-old hospital isn’t just a capital project—it’s a strategic reinvestment in safety, access and community trust. In an era of climate volatility, the stakes are higher: the existing facility’s wildfire exposure and limited emergency…Replacing a 30-year-old hospital isn’t just a capital project—it’s a strategic reinvestment in safety, access and community trust. In an era of climate volatility, the stakes are higher: the existing facility’s wildfire exposure and limited emergency access pose unacceptable risks to a vital community resource. The new campus tackles these challenges head-on with fire-resistant assemblies, intelligent compartmentalization, and intuitive evacuatio…Replacing a 30-year-old hospital isn’t just a capital project—it’s a strategic reinvestment in safety, access and community trust. In an era of climate volatility, the stakes are higher: the existing facility’s wildfire exposure and limited emergency access pose unacceptable risks to a vital community resource. The new campus tackles these challenges head-on with fire-resistant assemblies, intelligent compartmentalization, and intuitive evacuation routes, while optimized ambulance circulation and continuous fire lanes strengthen operational reliability. Beyond safety, the design elevates healing through site selection that preserves iconic mountain views and evidence-based strategies proven to support recovery. Architecture and safety are not tradeoffs—they are integrated, with form and function reinforcing each other. Built for what’s next, the design prioritizes flexible planning, modular growth zones, and resilient infrastructure and sustainability measures harden the campus against disasters while lowering operating costs. The result is a future-ready hospital that is safer, more accessible, and deeply connected to its community.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
R04 – Optimizing the Ambulatory Network: Strategy, Facility Planning, and Design for Scalable Care Delivery
As health systems face margin pressure, workforce constraints, and shifting care demand, optimizing the ambulatory network has become a critical strat…As health systems face margin pressure, workforce constraints, and shifting care demand, optimizing the ambulatory network has become a critical strategic priority. This session will explore how hospitals and health systems are rethinking network opt…As health systems face margin pressure, workforce constraints, and shifting care demand, optimizing the ambulatory network has become a critical strategic priority. This session will explore how hospitals and health systems are rethinking network optimization through innovative ambulatory planning to improve access, align site of service, and support sustainable growth to create a plan to get from current state to an ideal future state. Speakers …As health systems face margin pressure, workforce constraints, and shifting care demand, optimizing the ambulatory network has become a critical strategic priority. This session will explore how hospitals and health systems are rethinking network optimization through innovative ambulatory planning to improve access, align site of service, and support sustainable growth to create a plan to get from current state to an ideal future state. Speakers will present national and regional perspectives on strategy, facility planning, and design considerations, including leaders from Corewell Health and Yale New Haven Health (YNHH) on structured approaches to ambulatory network planning integrating market demand, clinical strategy, site-of-care migration, and real estate planning, highlighting opportunities for systems that have grown through M&A. Strategy and architectural experts will share methodologies contributing to successful implementation. Topics will include optimizing the role and mix of MOBs, ASCs, micro-hospitals, and hybrid ambulatory platforms, as well as aligning services to acuity, payer dynamics, and consumer expectations. The session will highlight how network design can reduce unnecessary inpatient utilization, improve patient experience, and enable scalable growth while considering patient safety, staff workflows, regulatory compliance, and health outcomes. We will conclude with actionable takeaways to inform future ambulatory planning and capital decision-making. Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
