Monterey County Health Department

WRD Architects collaborated with Monterey County to design a new 47,000-square-foot Health Department headquarters. To minimize downtime and avoid the need for interim relocation, the new facility was constructed adjacent to the existing headquarters, which has since been demolished. During demolition, materials were recycled, and the existing asphalt was ground and repurposed as the base for new parking areas.

The new building consolidates four bureaus—Administration, Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Environmental Health—along with the Public Health Laboratory. The open office layout enhances communication, maximizes natural light, and allows flexibility to accommodate future growth and evolving program needs.

The multi-level design follows the site’s natural topography, reducing the building’s perceived mass and integrating seamlessly with the adjacent Natividad Medical Center campus.