Margulies Perruzzi completed renovations for the radiation oncology department at Beth Israel Lahey Health’s Winchester Hospital. Located at 620 Washington Street in Winchester, Mass., the radiation oncology department is part of the hospital’s Center for Cancer Care.
The radiation oncology renovation project was driven by Winchester Hospital’s need to install a new linear accelerator. It will allow the clinical team to treat more complex cases with a higher level of precision and efficiency. The vault reconstruction also provided an opportunity to upgrade support spaces and refresh the aesthetics throughout the department.
The project team strategically planned the construction and equipment installations for the shortest construction duration possible to minimize the diversion of patients to other BILH cancer centers during the renovations. Over the course of four months, the existing linear accelerator was removed, the vault, control room and CT sim room were renovated inclusive of new shielding and below slab conduit runs, the new equipment was installed, tested and the department was back open for patient care. Cosmetic upgrades and custom millwork were designed to fit the accessories and equipment associated with radiation treatment.
Photography by David Pires Photography
The Ambulatory Surgery Center of Southwest Ohio is located in an existing two-story building that has undergone extensive renovations. The Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) is located on the first floor and medical offices are on the second floor. The 13,400 SF ASC includes four operating rooms with the ability to add a fifth, laser procedure room, patient prep and recovery, central sterile processing, and support spaces.
With 16 patient prep and recovery bays and two screening/consultation rooms, the ASC is able to move patients into the clinical areas efficiently and minimize time in the waiting room. The patient prep and recovery bays have side panels for privacy and infection control and are used for patient dressing to reduce the number of areas that the patient encounters during their stay. Three enclosed recovery bays are provided for negative pressure, extended stay, and pediatric patients. One of the rooms is designed to double as a laser procedure room.
The ASC is designed for one-way patient travel. Patients check in by phone or online and wait until they are instructed to enter; they are then escorted directly to a patient bay where they are gowned, prepped, and vital signs are taken. The prep and recovery suite has separate doors to and from the semi-restricted OR corridor. The suite is designed with separate prep and recovery zones that can flex to accommodate the demand. A separate patient discharge exit is provided in recovery so that patients do not have to pass through the prep and waiting areas to leave the ASC after surgery.
The ASC renovation included all new infrastructure upgrades, including new air handling units with HEPA filtration and humidity controls.
Photography by Josh Beeman Photography
The MRI renovation and expansion project included a building addition and renovations to the existing MRI department to incorporate a new Philips Ingenia Ambition 1.5T MRI, equipment room, patient holding area, control room, offices, support spaces and a refreshed waiting room.
The design team at MP worked closely with the equipment vendor, user group and consultant engineers to resolve technical challenges inherent to the project while providing an enhanced patient experience.
Brigham & Women’s Hospital 12,300 SF endoscopy center renovation included a three-phased modernization of the existing department and expansion into the existing vascular imaging suite. The project created eight licensed procedure rooms and expanded the number of patient pre-op and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) to include 21 stretcher bays. The renovation allowed for the PACU to be sized in accordance with current standards and increased the quality of space and care provided to patients.
The project phasing ensured both the endoscopy center and vascular imaging suite could continue treating patients during construction by relocating vascular imaging to a separate area before starting the phased renovation of the expanded endoscopy center.
The detailed programming for this space was crucial and involved multiple meetings with the end users to design a functional space. The renovated endoscopy center now includes a reception waiting room, a PACU with 21 stretcher bays, including a patient-of-size room, two nurse stations, and an exam room, along with eight procedure rooms, expanded fluoroscopy imaging, and new pass-through scope processors and drying cabinets. The three distinct zones of the PACU, procedure rooms, and scope processing rooms are clearly defined.
The suite utilizes BWH’s main design standards for furniture and finishes while subtly incorporating new elements to provide a distinct, modern look. Subtle tones of blue reinforce the feel of a calming environment. The PACU includes linear and perimeter lighting around the core to provide comfortable lighting for patients in stretchers. The curved angles in the soffits create clear wayfinding for patients to the two nurse stations. A floor pattern provides aesthetic interest and visual separation for walking pathways and storage. Unique, curved lighting was also an important visual component in the design of the waiting area and guides patients’ entry to the PACU.
The suite consists of four procedure rooms, two mobile fluoroscopy procedure rooms, and two fixed fluoroscopy rooms specifically designed for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures, making a total of eight procedure rooms. The design of all the procedure rooms starts with an equipment and monitor boom positioned at the center of the room. A procedural zone with LED fixtures provides either normal lighting or green lighting to reduce perceived light levels and enhance the visibility of procedural monitors, while also increasing overall lighting levels in the room.
Driven by eminent domain requirements within the Village of Brookline, this project required the relocation of the senior administration and administrative support services of Brigham & Women’s physician organization to Needham. The new space enabled BWPO to also consolidate staff from three different locations into one centralized office. This included the call center group, which was accommodated into the plan. A training center was provided at the heart of the project with the flexibility to configure it as a large classroom or two smaller classrooms. The program also introduced a multipurpose collaboration hub that could function for impromptu team meetings, staff meetings, and as a location for catered events.
Sustainability
This project is certified LEED-Gold.
Margulies Perruzzi provided design services for a 160,000-square-foot office building in Norwood, MA. This class A office building is LEED-Gold certified and provides office space for Hobbs Brook, as well as facilities for a medical office building tenant. Conveniently located on Route 1, the building will help to create a Hobbs Brook campus, allowing employees direct access to training facilities and other amenities in existing company buildings nearby. The building has four floors and includes a cafeteria and fitness center.
The building was designed with a central core that was split in two with a demising wall (half of the core slated for use by the tenant, half by Hobbs Brook); the intent being that it could easily become one core again in the future should the building be converted to single tenancy. There are three distinct main entries to the building, a covered front drop off for patients, a primary entry for Hobbs Brook, and an entry from the back parking lot for the tenant’s employees. In addition, one of the primary exit stairs, shared between Hobbs Brook and the tenant, was located at the front of the building and made it into a dramatic feature stair visible from the exterior.
MP worked closely with the medical office building tenant throughout the process and was able to incorporate unique programmatic elements (such as an MRI dock), seamlessly into the design. A basement was added during the construction documentation process when it was determined that the difference in elevation between level one and the required footing depth meant that it made economic sense to do so.
Margulies Perruzzi designed the 10,000 square foot New England Scope center for Reliant Medical Group (formerly Fallon Clinic). The outpatient endoscopic center includes four procedure rooms with recovery areas, patient prep areas, waiting areas, and exam and consult rooms.
Formerly an open warehouse, the largely windowless building was transformed into a welcoming, comfortable outpatient services facility. The project team created a new building from the existing structure, reusing only the slab and steel frame to create the new exterior and interior design.
MP developed a new workplace strategy to accommodate a 30% growth in the department since their administrative space was designed. The team evaluated each individual program element for utilization and the requirement of proximity to the surgery department. This information informed the new space program that relocated complex and intensive tasks, creating a short term touchdown space for the anesthesiologists and a café lounge that can function as a multipurpose room for large presentations.
A key departure from typical healthcare interior was the introduction of a glass corridor wall to allow for the transfer of natural light into the staff corridor. The project also allowed the department to create a dedicated education center and simulation lab.
Margulies Perruzzi is currently helping Partners Urgent Care as they expand quickly throughout the Boston area, providing urgent medical care services as an affordable and fast alternative to the emergency room. With three locations currently (Brookline, Watertown, and Newton), Partners will soon be expanding to Medford, Cambridge, and Waltham, with further satellite locations becoming a reality over the next two years. Each location is designed with the patient in mind, ensuring a smooth and efficient flow of care in a family-friendly environment, with operating hours from 9am-9pm seven days a week.
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital’s 6,000 square foot addition in Cape Cod includes two new physician exam/treatment rooms and eight new outpatient therapy rooms. A patient/family resource room was created, and a new multi-purpose room on the first floor will be used for wellness and education programs and community-based support groups.
MP redesigned the front entrance and expanded the lobby, registration, and waiting areas to improve workflow, enhance accessibility for patients with mobility impairments, and provide private spaces for registration. The expansion and renovation of the hospital was a complex, multi-phase project that required careful coordination among the clinical staff, design team, and contractors. Phased over ten months, MP worked closely with construction manager Columbia Construction to sequence construction work, permitting the hospital to maintain normal operations without impacting inpatient and outpatient care.
