Perkins Eastman provided architectural and interior design for the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and MSKCC Imaging Center, a 14-story, 240,000 sf outpatient facility located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The client’s intent was to establish a therapeutic environment to reflect changing modalities of cancer diagnosis and care. The design approach grew out of city zoning requirements to allow an as-of-right building. The resultant form highlights the stacked program: clinical floors, academic offices and administration. The building entrance on 66th Street is shifted south 15 feet to create a welcoming garden with a through block driveway, providing privacy, security, and comfort. The exterior expression is a blend of glass curtain wall and golden toned brick, a reflection of the surrounding residential context and internal technology.
Patients are welcomed into a hotel-style lobby with concierge services. A central core provides access to clinical floors with diagnostic and interventional imaging, medical and surgical oncology, infusion therapy, and psycho-social programs. Attractive waiting areas with abundant day lighting include numerous patient and family amenities, central registration, pantries, a boutique, and conference center. Careful design and lighting creates inviting spaces with extensive use of wood and fabrics to provide a warm and comforting atmosphere for users.