Hayward & Associates LLC, founded in 2003 by Cynthia Hayward, focuses exclusively on predesign planning for healthcare facilities — including facility master planning, space programming, mergers, and feasibility studies to support the building of new healthcare facilities or repurposing of existing ones.

Cynthia Hayward, FAIA, is an internationally recognized leader in healthcare facility planning. She is one of the first architects to develop a specialty practice in predesign planning — to help healthcare organizations plan facilities that are patient-centric, efficient to staff, and flexible to accommodate future changes. Founder Profile

She has assisted hundreds of diverse healthcare organizations over the past 40 years to economically and efficiently plan their capital investments — providing an objective assessment of their needs based on a foundation of market, utilization, operations, and financial data. Significant Projects

Healthcare Facility Planning: Thinking Strategically

Published by the American College of Healthcare Executives

This book is a practical guide for healthcare executives on predesign planning — a stage in the facility planning, design, and construction process that is frequently overlooked as organizations eagerly jump from strategic planning into the more glamorous phase of design. ACHE Website

Architecture of Healing Podcast

With Chase Miller

From Benchmarks to Better Decisions: The Evolution of SpaceMed

In this episode of The Architecture of Healing, Chase Miller sits down with healthcare planning pioneer Cynthia Hayward as she challenges a deeply embedded mindset in healthcare planning — that facility problems are best solved with design. Instead, she argues that the most effective solutions begin earlier, with clarity around operations, workflows, and actual demand. This shift from “build more” to “think smarter” is not just a philosophical change. It has major implications for capital strategy, operational efficiency, and long-term flexibility. Go to the Podcast

SpaceMed Guide

A Space Planning Guide for Healthcare Facilities

Cynthia Hayward's step-by-step workbook and space planning templates in Microsoft™ Excel, help architects and planners in over 40 countries plan flexible, state-of-the-art hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and specialized healthcare facilities. SpaceMed Website

SpaceMed Essentials

A Knowledge Base for Healthcare Facility Planners and Architects

Cynthia Hayward writes about current issues facing healthcare facility planners and architects in her blog. SpaceMed Blog