The 510,000 sq ft cancer treatment and research facility will significantly expand service offerings to people living in a state with one of the highest rates of cancer. Approximately 50,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year in New Jersey.
It will be a “one-stop destination for patients with a cancer diagnosis,” according to a statement by Rutgers Cancer Institute Director Steven K. Libutti, MD, FACS, who is also the senior vice president of oncology services at RWJBarnabas Health.
As part of a system-wide strategic master planning exercise, HOK’s Healthcare Consulting team completed a feasibility and programming study for a new cancer treatment facility on the New Brunswick campus. Developing market research and volume projections, the plan defined the programme requirements for ambulatory clinical care and research.
By housing research in the cancer pavilion, physician-scientists will be able to rapidly translate scientific findings from lab bench to patient bedside. The facility is organised into three primary components:
Outpatient care; 84 infusion bays, 74 exam rooms, advanced radiology including four linear accelerators, diagnostic equipment (CT, MRI, mammogram and other equipment with core lab), pharmacy facilities and outpatient urgent care.
Inpatient care; 96 inpatient beds on three floors, a dedicated floor for surgical and procedure rooms (up to 11 total), a central sterile processing area and inpatient support spaces.
Research; wet lab facilities and equipment to support 10 research teams, clinical trial offices and faculty offices.
The new facility places the patient first and improves the patient’s experience at every stage of treatment. The design features a bridge connecting the cancer pavilion to the existing Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, facilitating access for both patients and staff.
The building is designed to respond to the scale and character of the existing RWJBarnabas campus while accommodating a diversity of clinical and research programming. Each use is expressed as a distinct pattern on the building’s terra-cotta facade.
Serving as the ‘town square,’ a four storey atrium lobby spans the full depth of the building.
We designed this atrium to create a biophilic, healing environment that introduces natural light and lush plantings into the heart of the building. This enhances the health and well-being of patients, visitors, clinicians, students and staff.
B. Jencek, Global Director of Planning, HOK