Aran McCarthy, President, FCArchitects

In an interview with Invest:, Aran McCarthy, president of FCArchitects, said that designing healthcare spaces with both patients and caregivers in mind is transforming the architectural approach to healthcare and workplace culture. “The aim is to improve the patient experience while also making things easier for caregivers,” McCarthy said.

Over the past year, what changes have most influenced your firm’s direction and the types of projects your clients are prioritizing?

We’re an architectural design firm of about 128 people, headquartered in Philadelphia, where we’ve been based since 1954. We’re one of the city’s oldest and originally the largest pure architectural firms. Since then, we’ve expanded with offices in New York City, Connecticut, and Orlando, and are growing in the Greater DC/Virgina region.

Historically, over 80% of our work was in healthcare design, and the majority of that came from long-term, repeat clients whom we’ve worked with for 30-40 years. However, we have been expanding our talent pool into Science-Tech, Education, Corporate Workplace, and Multifamily Residential. We took a major step last year acquiring a firm in New Haven, Connecticut: Svigals + Partners. That marked our fourth expansion city and brought with it exciting new sector expertise. Strategic hires throughout our network have also positioned us well to bring our innovative process and sustainable practices to a broader range of client types. 

To answer your question about change, the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the toughest challenges, particularly for healthcare systems, not just in Philadelphia but nationwide. It pushed these systems to their limits, and while many have recovered financially, just recently turning a profit, there’s still a lingering impact, particularly around staffing shortages and overall patient care.

Because of our expertise across sectors, our business has remained steady, even if the 2025 fiscal year, which for us began in September 2024 and runs through September 2025, has been challenging. Hospitals have started pulling back slightly on capital investments due to high interest rates, rising construction costs, tariffs, and uncertainty about where patients want to receive care.

Five years ago, the trend was to move care away from inpatient settings toward outpatient environments. Hospitals were heavily investing in those service lines. Now, many are hitting pause to reevaluate in light of economic conditions. As of now, we haven’t seen significant growth, but I’m hopeful that we’ll maintain steady progress through at least the end of this calendar year.

How does the integration of technology into healthcare design shape the experience for both patients and providers?

Everyone’s keeping a close eye on the impact of artificial intelligence. We’ve seen a gradual increase in AI use in healthcare, especially around telehealth, which became hugely important during COVID and has remained relevant since.

The aim is to improve the patient experience while also making things easier for caregivers. During COVID, we saw firsthand the importance of designing not just beautiful but clinically advanced spaces. A key trend now is using AI tools like auto-transcription, so providers don’t need to take notes during appointments. AI also helps interpret clinical data and assist in diagnosis. We do a lot of work in cancer care, such as building cancer centers, where AI is playing a growing role in diagnostics and treatments, especially with technologies like mRNA and others in vaccine development. We help support that.

Another major change is the sheer volume of data. Health systems are realizing their data infrastructure is outdated. There’s not enough storage for the volume of new data being generated, so there’s a significant shift toward cloud-based computing to store and analyze that data, on both the inpatient and outpatient sides.

One of the most exciting developments is how hospitals are starting to use AI in the design process itself. We’re seeing big advancements in metaverse technologies and digital tools that help us visualize and create healthcare spaces. For example, with twinning technology, if we design a cancer center for one client, we can digitally replicate it in a 3D format that allows users to virtually enter and evaluate spaces like infusion suites or hybrid operating rooms. Doctors can walk through the space virtually, give feedback on equipment placement, and suggest adjustments based on their workflow. It’s a game-changer.

How do you integrate biophilic design and other human-centered approaches to influence outcomes in healthcare and civic spaces?

Biophilia has been around for a while, but the pandemic made its importance even more evident, especially in addressing caregiver burnout. Historically, design has focused almost entirely on the patient. But we started to realize that caregivers — nurses, doctors — were under immense stress, and our designs weren’t supporting them adequately.

For example, something as simple as adding windows to staff lounges made a huge difference. Those spaces were often tucked away in windowless areas. Now, we’re prioritizing views, access to nature, and connections to healing gardens.

We know from experience, and science, that biophilic design positively affects mood. Think about how you feel when you walk into a warm greenhouse; your senses are instantly engaged, and you feel better. That applies to hospital environments, too.

In fact, there’s a growing trend in designing patient rooms that resemble bedrooms at home. The goal is to make patients feel safe and comfortable, which improves healing outcomes. We’re also seeing increased interest in green walls and plant integration, even though maintenance can be tricky. Despite environmental services staff sometimes resisting those changes, the desire for nature in care environments is real, and we’re embracing every opportunity to make it happen.

How does sustainability play into your projects?

We’ve always considered ourselves a sustainable firm, but it’s one thing to say it and another to truly implement it. A few years ago, we hired Rob Fleming, who used to work at FCA and then spent years in academia focusing on sustainability. Now he’s our Director of sustainability, and he’s made a huge impact.

He helps embed sustainable thinking into everything we do, from how we run our internal retreats to how we approach every project. We apply a three-tier sustainability review for all projects. Even for small-scale work, we ask, “What are we doing for the environment?” It’s not always about certifications like LEED or WELL — sometimes it’s simply about doing the right thing.

Sustainability also affects our operations. We’ve realized that an efficient process is inherently more sustainable because it saves our clients money and conserves resources. We’ve also signed on to the AIA 2030 Commitment, and we’re using one of our largest current projects, an $800 million bed tower for Geisinger, as a benchmark for testing and improving our sustainability efforts.

We’re tracking daylighting, energy and water use, HVAC performance, you name it. Unfortunately, the current U.S. administration has stepped back from supporting sustainability, which makes things harder. But we’re committed to staying the course, regardless of the political climate.