A former ACME supermarket that sits adjacent to Virtua’s Health and Wellness Center in Moorestown, N.J. underwent a transformation to become the new Virtua Samson Cancer Center. The new facility accommodates radiation oncology, an infusion treatment suite, a cancer administrative suite, and a third party infusion practice.
The 66,000-sf facility’s high ceilings, large windows, artwork that depicts nature, and a garden visible from the infusion patient treatment spaces are meant to promote a sense of hope, serenity, and healing. Treatment rooms were strategically placed depending on those patients that are sensitive to natural light versus those who aren’t impacted by natural light. A substructure was implemented to allow the ceiling and lighting to be suspended from it, minimizing the need to build walls to the full height of the structure.
See Also: Working to reduce HAIs: How design can support infection control and prevention
The center’s entry uses semi-opaque white panels that collectively create a single, uniform object that can be seen from the street. The front elevation is off center and has three vertical columns that hold up a misaligned upper mass. The interior Main Gallery space can be seen from the exterior through a full-height glass opening and allows visitors to find their bearings from either inside or outside the building. The tall ceilings of the Main Gallery transition to more intimate seating and lounge waiting areas.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 16, 2016
The future of healthcare design education: 5 takeaways from ACHA 2016
Creating a network of experts to talk next generation healthcare design education
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 15, 2016
Future proofing hospitals
By improving the physical layout of hospitals and medical facilities, we can enhance and increase safety mechanisms, improve care, and help reduce the exposure to medical errors, writes Skanska USA's Andrew Quirk.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 10, 2016
11 principles for pediatric healthcare design
Engagement at all levels, designing with families in mind, and integrating flexible spaces are all important design considerations to keep in mind for pediatric healthcare planning, writes HDR's Brian Zabloudil.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 9, 2016
Key strategies to reduce healthcare facility costs and maintain operations
The right approach during the planning, design, and construction of a new facility can yield a positive return on investment and lower the overall cost basis for ongoing operations, writes Steve Higgs, Senior Managing Director with CBRE Healthcare.
| Aug 8, 2016
HEALTHCARE GIANTS: Age-simulation technology aids design for the mobility impaired
As the 65+ population continues to rise, the AEC industry needs to better understand the stresses and anxieties those who are mobility impaired face when navigating spaces like medical facilities.
| Aug 8, 2016
Top 80 Healthcare Engineering Firms
AECOM, Jacobs, and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest healthcare building sector engineering and E/A firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 8, 2016
Top 100 Healthcare Construction Firms
Turner Construction Co., McCarthy Holdings, and Skanska USA top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest healthcare building sector construction and construction management firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 8, 2016
Top 90 Healthcare Architecture Firms
HDR, Stantec, and Perkins+Will top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest healthcare building sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 25, 2016
AIA selects seven winners of healthcare building design award
The National Healthcare Design Awards recognizes functional hospital projects that solve aesthetic, civic, urban, and social concerns. Recipients were selected in three categories this year.
Architects | Jul 22, 2016
5 creative approaches to finish standards
With the right mindset, standards can produce great design for healthcare facilities, as VOA's Candace Small explores.