Emergency Temporary Facilities

Emergency Response

Meeting the Urgent Need for Medical Surge Capacity

When COVID-19 threatened to overwhelm Louisiana’s hospitals in 2020 during the early days of the pandemic, the state turned to Dynamic to design and build a large-scale temporary medical facility inside the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, the fifth largest convention center in the country. Dynamic mobilized within hours and immediately identified critical structural and operational gaps in the state’s initial design. Our team led a full redesign that maximized patient density, safety, and efficiency, while meeting strict medical care requirements.

Rapid Deployment and Expansion

Dynamic delivered results under a very aggressive schedule:

  • 112 patient rooms commissioned within 48 hours of notice to proceed
  • 1,000 patient rooms and 65 nurse stations completed in 9 days
  • In total, Dynamic outfitted the 750,000 square foot facility with 2,000 patient rooms, 132 nurse stations, 100 restroom/shower units, dining, break, and storage areas within weeks

The Louisiana Department of Health admitted patients just 10 days after issuing Dynamic a notice to proceed, well ahead of schedule.

Facility Features

Dynamic coordinated 17 subcontractors and suppliers to design, construct, and operate a fully functional medical surge facility. Our scope of work included:

  • Structures & Environmental Controls – Tent structures, flooring, temporary HVAC, and power systems
  • Medical & Support Spaces – Individual patient rooms, nurse stations, ADA-compliant bathrooms, showers, and handwashing sinks
  • Technology & Connectivity – WIFI, VOIP, VPN, and IT systems for patient record access
  • Operations & Logistics – Material staging, food service coordination, custodial services, and utilities management

We equipped every patient room with power, lighting, and neutral-pressure conditioned air to meet medical standards. Our team build an IT system that integrated nurse stations with outside networks to support clinical operations.

Innovative Project Management

To manage the pace and complexity of construction, Dynamic implemented SWETM (Sewer, Water, Electrical, Transportation, Medical) project tracking. Each wing featured a color-coded whiteboard updated daily to monitor progress, resolve bottlenecks, and accelerate punch list completion. This simple yet effective visual system helped crews maintain speed and focus under pressure.

Human-Centered Touches

Beyond construction, Dynamic made the facility a more welcoming space for patients and staff by adding 1,230 inspirational posters in patient rooms and common areas as well as 280 orchids and 50 green plants distributed throughout nurse stations and hallways. These small additions helped reduce stress and boost morale during an unprecedented crisis.

Results That Matter

  • 112 rooms in 48 hours
  • 1,000 rooms in 9 days
  • 2,000 rooms completed on schedule
  • 750,000 square feet of medical surge space delivered

Louisiana officials praised the speed, quality, and impact of Dynamic’s work, recognizing our ability to mobilize quickly and deliver under extreme emergency conditions.

Why It Matters

The Morial Convention Center medical surge facility was one of the largest emergency medical construction projects in the country during the early days of COVID-19. Dynamic’s leadership demonstrated:

  • Ability to mobilize and deliver mega-scale projects under national emergency conditions
  • Proven expertise in temporary healthcare facility construction
  • A commitment to saving lives and supporting communities during crises

Partner With Us

Dynamic delivers emergency medical, housing, and disaster support facilities at scale. Our work at the Morial Convention Center proves our ability to meet the most urgent needs with speed, precision, and compassion.

👉 Explore More Projects to see how we deliver under the most challenging conditions.