Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, one of the premier cancer treatment hospitals in the world, had a problem. A recent analysis of patient volumes showed that it would run out of space for new construction at its Upper East Side campus in Manhattan in just a few years. It did own a site at East 61st Street and York Avenue, near the East River and seven blocks from its main campus at 1275 York. But the parcel was only 100 by 115 feet. On top of that, it was also within a floodplain.
MSK had never built on such a small site. “We realized that we would be developing a new paradigm,” says Suzen L. Heeley, IIDA, LEED AP, MSK’s Executive Director of Design and Construction. The design would have to take into account all support services and staff needs, since staff would be in the building for their entire shift.
The solution: go vertical. The result, devised by MSK and its architect, Perkins Eastman, is the 179,000-sf, 16-story Josie Robertson Surgery Center, which opened in December 2015.
Perkins Eastman addressed the floodplain problem by moving the mechanical systems to higher floors, “hardening” the building against flooding, says Jeffrey Brand, AIA, EDAC, Principal. Several variances were also required, including one for the surgical program, which called for uninterrupted floor plates. Operating rooms were stacked vertically on three floors, with care areas designed for specialty procedures.
Accommodating three elevators (one each for the public, patients, and service staff) reduced the floor plate to about 8,000 sf, forcing the hospital and its Building Team to come up with what Heeley calls “a new architectural and operational model.”
A key goal of the center is to limit patient stays to a few days, so encouraging patient mobility is important. (Only a small percentage of the surgery center’s patients get admitted to MSK’s main hospital.) The recovery area includes a figure-eight corridor to encourage patients to move around. They have to leave their beds to get breakfast.
The patient experience has been enhanced from admission to release, says Heeley. The waiting area features The Beehive, a reception kiosk for checking in. Patients are assigned a designated caregiver and given a location badge, which tracks their movements throughout the stay in real time. In the first six months of operation, the badges (from HealthLoop) recorded 248,000 patient touch points.
The waiting area also has “campsites,” where patients and families can gather without having to move a lot of furniture. Brand says these areas are like living rooms, with a food bar, a business center, a library, and places where children can play Wii.
Staff comforts were not ignored. The design infuses plenty of daylight throughout the core of the building. The staff-only top floor, known as The Mixing Bowl, provides food service, conference and business areas, and spaces where clinical staff can mingle informally. Other rooms include The Soap Box (for dining and meeting) and places for computer workstations.
The building has become so popular with staff members that there’s currently a waiting list of employees who want to work there.
Josie Robertson borrows many of its design and construction ideas from the hospitality sector. Perkins Eastman collaborated with the New York–based interior design firm iCrave—known primarily for its restaurant and airport work—to make the interior spaces emulate a home-recovery experience.
The walkways in the post-anesthesia care floors are filled with artwork. There’s room for patients to exercise and socialize. Wood finishes, with their soothing, organic texture, are prevalent throughout.
“We wanted something different,” says Heeley. She admits that MSK’s leadership was nervous about bringing in iCrave, but felt confident that Perkins Eastman, which has been designing for MSK for decades, had the healthcare chops to keep the project on track. Controlling the budget did take some “curating,” she says, when it came to choosing lighting, furniture, and flooring.
Heeley says that elements of the Josie Robertson concept will inevitably find their way into future MSK projects, including the 750,000-sf Robert Koch Center for ambulatory care. “We’re designing in a flexible way to be able to make changes quickly,” she says.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 12, 2018
Almost Home Kids opens third residence in Illinois for children with health complexities
Its newest location is positioned as a prototype for national growth.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 7, 2018
Planning and constructing a hybrid operating room: Lessons learned
A Hybrid operating room (OR) is an OR that is outfitted with advanced imaging equipment that allows surgeons, radiologists, and other providers to use real-time images for guidance and assessment while performing complex surgeries.
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 30, 2018
As telehealth reshapes patient care, space and design needs become clearer
Guidelines emphasize maintaining human interaction.
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 28, 2018
$27.5 million renovation of Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital completes in Fort Lauderdale
Skanska USA built the project.
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 7, 2018
Designing environments for memory care residents
How can architecture decrease frustration, increase the feeling of self-worth, and increase the ability to re-connect?
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 30, 2018
Orthopedic Associates of Hartford unveils plans for 45,000-sf surgical center
MBH ARCHITECTURE is the architect for the project.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 29, 2018
Outpatient clinics bring the VA closer to injured veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs is making efforts to improve its construction management and align its design guidelines to industry standards.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 22, 2018
WSP-HKS JV signs deal for U.S. Navy construction work
The contract is not exclusive to the two firms, but it lets NAVFAC assign certain projects to them.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 12, 2018
N.Y. builder pushes to get military trauma centers up and running quicker
To date, seven NICoE Spirit satellite centers have been built on the grounds of Fort Belvoir in Virginia, Camp Lejeune and Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Fort Hood in Texas, Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, and Camp Pendleton in California.
Healthcare Facilities | Sep 7, 2018
Medical office construction isn’t keeping pace with the aging of America
A new Transwestern report suggests a “rethinking” of healthcare delivery approaches that lean heavier on technology.