Healthcare Design - April 2020 - 29

MARK HERBOTH

a drive-only ramp connecting the two levels and
wider parking stalls. Inside the building, seating in the wider corridors is available for those
who need to rest briefly en route to their appointment. To further ease a patient's arrival to
their final destination, the building is designed
so that once patients know their way into the
building, they don't have to stop off at the lobby
for directions but can take the elevator straight
to their clinic floor to check in.
Additionally, the project team recognized
that some patients travel long distances to receive treatment and have been in the car for
hours, so access to bathrooms was another hot
topic, Johnson says. Patients shared their desire to have bathrooms conveniently placed and
large enough to accommodate family members
in case they need assistance. "There are bathrooms located right near elevators," he says, as
well as throughout the clinic areas. They feature sliding doors that are easy to maneuver and
seating for caregivers.
Designers also considered how certain interior design elements could negatively affect
patients inside the 114,000-square-foot, fourstory facility. For example, patients expressed
their dislike of soaring atriums that are a common feature in medical buildings. "Some patients with neurocognitive disorders find those
kinds of spaces disorienting or they can cause
vertigo," Johnson says. Here, the solution was
to utilize large windows, daylighting, and light
materials to provide an open and airy feeling on
the first floor but without the volume. And because bold patterns and reflective surfaces can
be challenging for those with sensory or motor
issues, designers chose a neutral color and materials palette with warm wood accents.
The building, which opened in April 2019, also
features specific treatment areas for patients,
such as a first-floor rehabilitation suite for
physical therapy appointments and an Activities of Daily Living suite, which offers an apartment-like setting where patients can re-learn
everyday tasks and skills, such as laundry or
dish washing. A second-floor infusion suite offers options in treatment settings, including an
open area, flexible spaces with partitions, and
private rooms with adjustable lighting.
Another project goal was to support collaboration among the multidisciplinary staff. Using
a modular design, each specialty has its own
clinic pod-housed on the second, third, and
fourth floors. Open staff areas in the center of
the pods give clinicians direct sight lines to patients and exam rooms, while additional semi-

ABOVE: The structured mesh façade diffuses direct daylight, which can be challenging for neurological patients who
experience light sensitivity, while still providing views to the outdoors. TOP: Public spaces are arranged around the

perimeter, with patient and family lounges located on the front side of the building on each floor to help orient visitors as
they move throughout. Different types of seating and groupings are designed to deliver a homelike setting.

APRIL 2020

Healthcare Design - April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - April 2020