Austin State Hospital Brain Health Campus Master Plan
Texas is reshaping brain health care in Central Texas with the Austin State Hospital (ASH) Brain Health Campus Master Plan. This visionary transformation reimagines the historic 95-acre campus as a state-of-the-art, person-centered hospital, seamlessly integrated with key healthcare partnerships.
Once on the outskirts, ASH now sits at the heart of Austin, surrounded by thriving neighborhoods, mixed-use developments, and active city streets. More than just replacing outdated hospital functions, this campus plan builds a smarter, more connected system of care. By fostering collaboration and ensuring long-term impact, ASH sets a new standard for brain health innovation, creating meaningful change for Austin and beyond.
Awards
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2022 ULI Austin Impact Award-Next Big Idea
Project goals
The Austin State Hospital (ASH) Brain Health Campus Master Plan is built on four key goals that redefine brain health care in Central Texas.
1. Establish a brain health campus: A modern, 240-bed inpatient hospital will replace outdated ASH facilities, ensuring top-tier care while a phased plan maintains operations during construction. This transformation marks the first step in developing a comprehensive campus, fostering strategic healthcare partnerships to enhance patient outcomes.
2. Strengthen community connections: The new campus will be open, welcoming, and accessible, integrating public spaces and tree-lined sidewalks to encourage engagement with the surrounding neighborhood. A focus on health and wellness will create an environment that invites the community.
3. Incentivize strategic partnerships: A thoughtfully designed campus will attract key partners in brain health, destigmatizing mental illness and reshaping public perception. By integrating services and expertise, ASH will drive innovation in mental health care.
4. Build a full continuum of care: The plan envisions a collaborative ecosystem, co-locating essential facilities—including crisis care, skilled nursing, ambulatory services, and therapeutic housing. This approach ensures seamless, long-term care and sets a new standard for brain health treatment.
Campus plan
The campus plan serves as a strategic roadmap to attract partners to the ASH campus, fostering a collaborative brain health ecosystem. By extending the street grid, the plan establishes flexible development zones with seamless access to arterial roads, enhancing connectivity and accessibility.
To unlock the full potential of this valuable HHSC land resource, the strategy prioritizes multi-story facilities and phased structured parking—maximizing land use while preserving trees and green spaces. A compact, well-planned development approach will not only optimize infrastructure investments but also create a vibrant, accessible campus where brain healthcare innovation can thrive.
Central spine
The central spine provides an organizing link for the campus
The new campus spine creates a central corridor for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular circulation through the site. It provides an opportunity for connectivity and ease of partnerships between the new hospital and associated development.
Site phasing
Four overarching phases were identified for the complete plan build-out.
The phased approach minimizes disruption to existing operations while laying the groundwork for long-term transformation. Early phases prioritize the immediate need for modern inpatient care, while future phases create opportunities for strategic partnerships and flexible campus expansion. This adaptable framework supports the entire continuum of care, allowing the ASH campus to evolve alongside advancements in brain health and community needs.
A transformational campus plan
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