2019 Design Showcase Honorable Mention: Holistic Healing
Within its 86,000 square feet, the Asplundh Cancer Pavilion of Abington – Jefferson Health in Willow Grove, Pa., brings the provider’s cancer treatment program under one roof. That integration of services is based on a model of treating cancer recovery as a holistic process rather than only a medical issue. To that end, the $53 million project, submitted to the Design Showcase by Ewing Cole and completed in July 2018, houses medical oncology, infusion and radiology, a retail pharmacy, massage, palliative care, nutritional programs, a resource center, counseling, and more.
That effort also inspired a design that’s based on the notion of “healing within a natural environment,” which drove an extensive biophilic design approach that influenced elements ranging from site layout to exterior envelope to interior aesthetics. The result includes interiors finished with birch bark, wood ceilings, plants, stone, and other natural elements, while outdoor features connect the building to an ecologically restored site.