Constructed on the site of an old newspaper facility, the Providence Breeze Advanced Care Center in Torrance, California challenges thenorms of patient-centric care with a design that finds inspiration in the intimate.
Designed by Cuningham Group Architecture and CallisonRTKL, the 106,000-square-foot space houses a women’s center, imaging center, outpatient ambulatory surgery center, clinics, medical and surgical oncology, infusion center and two linear accelerators. To accommodate for these numerous technical elements, as well as to meet the many, complicated design codes required of medical facilities, the design team had to think outside the box as they attempted to elevate the standard patient experience. The result: a medical center that looks, feels, and operates like a hospitality project.
The first of the facility’s design-based innovations is a concierge service. Replacing the traditional registration desk, the Care Center instead implemented a concierge area similar to that of an upscale hotel, complete with kiosks where guests can register themselves and a coffee shop. The space immediately signals to patients that their comfort is designed into their clinic-going experience.
The design team also broke from the traditionally sterile hospital environment by creating a seating area that mimics a cozy living room. Waiting areas are broken up into small clusters that evoke an intimate, at-home experience. Even the more clinical spaces accomplish this effect by emphasizing the use of warm, natural materials which still adhere to stringent, hospital-level finish materials restrictions.
This hospitality-based approach is elevated further in the women’s center. A spa/resort-style approach featuring soft, ambient lighting and warm textures helps to diffuse the stress often associated with mammograms and other treatments. Other similar, stress-reducing design elements throughout the facility include organic-patterned screens in the waiting room, symbolic images of nature, colored accent walls, and a fireplace.
Material Used :
1. Armstrong Commercial – Interior Ceilings - Optima
2. 3Form – Reception Casework – Chroma
3. Carnegie – Acoustical Wall Tile – Xorel Artform
4. Corradini – Lobby Flooring - Terrazzo
5. Mannington – Clinical Flooring - Streamline
6. Tarkett/ Johnsonite–Lobby Wallbase - Millwork
7. Cambria – Reception Casework – Marble Collection
8. Mannington – Amtico Wood Collection – Dry Teak
9. Florida Tile – Fireplace Surround - Berkshire
10. Arc Com – Clinical Privacy Curtains – Dahlia-X
11. Pulp Studio – Café Decorative Glass – Modern Reflections
12. Sherwin Williams – Wall Paint – No VOC
13. Mannington – Office Carpet – With The Grain
