Henry Ford Health System Detroit has one of Michigan’s largest cancer programs, with the Henry Ford Cancer Institute (Detroit), which treats nearly 10,000 cancer patients each year. The institute, recognizing that cancer cases will continue to increase, set out to create an integrated cancer program that would bring services together under one roof.
The 187,000-square foot Brigitte-Harris Cancer Pavilion in Detroit opened its doors in January. It is located across from Henry Ford Hospital’s flagship facility. The facility offers a patient-centered environment for cancer treatment and research. It also includes an infusion centre, laboratory and imaging services, physical therapy and occupational therapy and cancer-specific urgent services. The project also offers holistic wellness to cancer patients through on-site fitness and exercise areas, nutrition coaches and plans, yoga and Eastern Medicine programs, and cooking lessons.
The Henry Ford Cancer Institute, in collaboration with SmithGroup Detroit, rebranded their interior environments. They aimed to create an immersive experience for patients that was less clinical than the traditional cancer care environments. The exterior architecture includes varied massing and contextual architectural references of the historic campus. It also features color and depth to create a layered human scale.
The 30-foot-tall lobby has a monumental, curved stair that is both a feature and a milestone for the patients. At the start of treatment, patients are unable to climb the stairs, but at the end, ascending them becomes a symbol of triumph and hope over cancer.
The use of warm, natural, light colors and materials is prevalent throughout the facility. This complements dedicated patient areas, such as lounges. The facility offers retail cancer services including a pharmacy and food services designed specifically to meet the needs and tastes for cancer patients.
