This story first appeared in the 2024 September/October Edition of Medical Construction & Design. It is reprinted here with their permission.

In Pembroke Pines, Florida, on a site where two defunct big-box stores once stood, is a new beacon of hope – Memorial Cancer Institute. The two-story luminous glass-and-precast building – highlighted by Memorial Healthcare System’s signature blue – welcomes people to the medical campus and communicates the health system’s strong presence in the area and commitment to the community it serves.

“Cancer patients can expect the best treatments, advanced clinical trials and expert physicians,” said Meredith B. Feinberg, Vice President of Oncology Services at South Florida-based Memorial Healthcare System. “But having an environment that supports their healing is also critical.”

The design gives cancer patients back a measure of control over their lives. According to Feinberg, spaces that help people feel empowered as they embark on a challenging health care journey are key to a positive cancer care experience. 

Welcoming, landmark building

The 21,000-square-foot outpatient cancer center, designed by HKS, is located next to Memorial Healthcare System’s Memorial Hospital West. The cancer institute offers advanced chemotherapy and cellular therapy treatment options, radiation therapy, surgical oncology specialties, a full array of advanced clinical trials, integrative medicine and support services that include a Center for Body, Mind and Spirit, a meditation sanctuary and a café with healthy food options. 

The HKS LINE (Laboratory for INtensive Exploration) innovation team helped create the building’s distinctive exterior, which features a variety of architectural precast concrete panels in assorted sizes and finishes, including some panels that are polished to provide visual interest and a subtle sheen. Timothy Logan, HKS Computational Applications Developer, formulated an algorithm to help determine the optimal layout for the panels, to avoid waste, minimize construction costs and maximize design impact. 

The project team used a 3D digital model of the building to visualize different iterations of the exterior and fine-tune the design. Once they finalized the design, the team produced drawings for custom molds the manufacturer used to form the precast concrete panels. 

Meeting community needs

The building’s bright, light-filled interior provides a patient environment that is soothing, efficient and easy to navigate. The design supports expanded services, future growth and Memorial Healthcare System’s partnerships with Florida Atlantic University and the Moffitt Cancer Center. 

The facility has 63 exam rooms designed for multidisciplinary cancer care teams, more than doubling the number of exam rooms (29) previously available for cancer care on the Memorial Hospital West campus. In addition, the building has 51 private infusion suites, up from 38. Shell space is being built out in the facility to create more infusion bays. The pharmacy and laboratory are sized to support additional patient volume. 

“We certainly had an eye toward growth,” said Feinberg. 

The master plan for the project includes a future inpatient cancer hospital that will integrate with the institute’s outpatient services, for enhanced patient support and clinical care. To support this plan, Memorial Cancer Institute is designed to expand horizontally, and the building program is arranged around a central atrium with a grand staircase that promotes physical activity, simplifies wayfinding and affords easy deconstruction for the expansion.

HKS and Memorial Healthcare System recently completed a successful vertical expansion of the health system’s Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. The project team knew well the feasibility — and complexity — of building above an operational health facility. To minimize disruption and save time and money during a future expansion project at Memorial Cancer Institute, the team positioned the institute toward one side of the site, to allow room to build an adjacent patient bed tower.

Healthy air, healthy building

Memorial Cancer Institute is designed for operational efficiency and the well-being of patients, family members and staff.

The project team took a holistic approach to protecting the health and wellness of vulnerable people, which included maintaining high standards for interior air quality and reducing the toxicity of building materials. 

HKS’ interior design team created a material palette that minimizes harmful emissions from volatile organic compounds and persistent, bioaccumulative toxins. This approach is aligned with the requirements of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for LEED certification. Memorial Cancer Institute’s LEED v4 certification is in process.

Designed for better flow

Because cancer patients can be physically and emotionally fragile, Memorial Healthcare System’s goal is to make their time spent in the building “as short as possible”.

“We spent a lot of time focused on patient flow and throughput so patients can get back to living their lives,” Feinberg said.

On the building’s first floor, centralized registration, blood draw and laboratory areas are designed to streamline processes, shorten staff walking distances and reduce waiting times for patients. A separate side canopy and entrance for the radiation oncology department helps patients whose treatment requires frequent trips to the cancer institute to get in and out quickly and feel more empowered when they visit.

The Center for Body, Mind and Spirit, also located on the first floor, offers a salon, prosthetic fittings, a boutique and massage therapy to help patients look and feel their best throughout their cancer treatment.

The institute’s 63 exam rooms are on the second floor, which also houses physician practices, a patient and family resource center and supportive services, such as palliative care, nutrition, psycho-oncology and social work.

The Breast Cancer Center, on the third floor, integrates breast medical oncology, breast-surgical oncology and breast cancer treatments in one location to provide a convenient, personalized approach to care. Breast cancer infusion bays are located within the center to improve care coordination and offer patients an extra measure of privacy. 

Infusion bays throughout the building are perhaps the best example of how the design supports individual choice and empowerment. Patients can control the lighting and temperature within each private infusion bay for increased comfort and reduced stress. All infusion bays are positioned on the building’s perimeter with views of nature and living things so patients undergoing treatment can feel a calming connection to life and the outdoors. Several infusion bays feature views of the institute’s expansive rooftop garden. 

Research shows that access to nature can improve well-being and aid in the healing process. To support this notion, the rooftop garden features meandering walking paths, lush greenery and shaded seating areas for patients, their families and cancer institute staff. Native plants and pollinators in the garden support local biodiversity and to minimize water runoff, the rooftop landscape is fortified with drought-resilient plants that can manage intense South Florida rainfall and storms.

The rooftop area also includes a café and a jewel box-like meditation sanctuary that supports multiple activities and therapies. Feinberg said she has seen patients and family members linger in the rooftop garden after a patient visit or treatment.

The institute’s grand opening was held in November 2023 and patients began receiving care at the facility in January of this year. The $125-million investment stands as a testament to Memorial Healthcare System’s dedication to advancing cancer care in South Florida for years to come.