Nearly 50 years ago, three University of Virginia doctors came together to create a space where children with serious medical needs could put their diagnosis to the side for a little while and just be kids.
Camp Holiday Trails was designed for children with critical health issues (and now their siblings) to have the experience of a camp full of fun outdoor activities with round-the-clock medical care. Thanks to 75 acres of donated land at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Camp Holiday Trails (CHT) became a reality. Programs now include an overnight summer camp, year-round family camps, and year-round traveling Pop Up Camps.
In the last five decades, CHT has provided over 10,000 kids the chance to have a positive camp experience. Engaging children aged 7-17 and their siblings, campers come from all parts of the state and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region to enjoy this unique, welcoming, inclusive place. From archery to rock wall climbing to equine activities and, of course, evenings around a campfire, CHT campers are able to have the traditional camp experience that every child deserves.
As CHT has grown, so have their infrastructure needs. The camp relies on high-quality, consistent medical care, which means the on-site medical facility is of the highest priority. This space, known as “Med Korner” is currently located in a building with structural integrity issues which could benefit from modern upgrades.
We were brought on board to help CHT come up with a master plan for how they’d like the infrastructure of the camp to develop and grow over time, and to design their most critical space - the new and improved Med Korner, in its new, central location.

This building is the first step in a multi-phase project which will eventually include an outdoor amphitheater with easy accessibility where more formal outdoor activities and presentations can be done.
This project required a unique approach and thoughtfulness that went beyond function. While the building must be practical to attentively serve campers with daily medical needs, it also needed to maintain an atmosphere of being outside of a clinical setting. Part of the goal of CHT is to give kids a reprieve from their diagnosis and grueling treatment schedules. Most campers have spent unimaginable time in hospitals and doctor’s offices, so we focused on how to make the building feel like an extension of camp, rather than an extension of their medical treatments.

This building will face the dining hall and flag pole, another large gathering spot for the campers throughout the day. Having these two critical facilities closer to each other will make everyone’s daily routine easier and safer as well.
The building also needed to be accommodating and accessible for kids with varying physical abilities. We wanted the design to make them feel welcome, comfortable and understood. Other design concepts, such as natural light, calming colors, and more ergonomic spaces promote overall well being, which is especially important for these campers. We know that even kids understand and appreciate human-centric design, and most importantly - they deserve it.

The new building design will incorporate a shaded pergola for kids and camp staff to hang out comfortably in a central location.

Inside, the building will have lots of natural light thanks to big windows, as well as easily accessible and highly functioning facilities that feel like an extension of camp, rather than a clinical setting.
This project aligns well with our community-focused, design for everyone approach that we’ve employed with clients like Arc of the Piedmont, Region Ten, Building Goodness Foundation and Urban Oasis, to name a few. We’re so excited to see how these upgrades will reinforce the support CHT gives to kids and their families.
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