PHOTO TOUR: Claire C. Brodesser Surgery Center
Cape Regional Health System, Cape May, N.J., sought to enhance its service lines with an outpatient surgical facility. The solution is the new 19,125-square-foot, freestanding Clare C. Brodesser Surgery Center situated on the east end of the Cape Regional Medical Center campus in Cape May. It houses four operating rooms (ORs), two procedure/treatment rooms with a centralized sterilization suite and sterile storage, a six-bay pre-op area, and 16 post-anesthesia care units.
Architecture firm E4H Environments for Health Architecture (New York City) was tasked to develop a unique “seaside resort” identity for the new surgery center that maintains brand continuity with both its design as well as its continuation of the Cape May brand and values. To achieve this, the firm created a dedicated patient entrance, matching the façade of the surgical center with the hospital façade. The contemporary exterior design incorporates floor-to-ceiling glazing, metal and brick finishes, and a cantilever canopy. The clerestory window creates a modern design aesthetic, to actively reclaim natural light into the facility and provide the highest quality of healthcare to the community.
To maintain a local community feel, soft wood tones and a color palette of calming blues and cream tones create a rustic, beachy vibe throughout, reflecting Cape May’s seaside location. In clinical spaces, wall finishes feature a minimalist mountain pattern, and slatted wood ceiling treatments serve as visual cues for the nurses’ stations. Modern and sleek design elements were incorporated throughout the project, with pocket lighting, resin paneling, and custom wallcoverings to pull together the regional inspiration.
In addition to the main patient entrance, there’s a separate entrance dedicated to staff and physicians, another dedicated entrance for deliveries, and a fourth entrance for patient pick-up and discharge from the building. These entrances and exits create an ease of flow that improves operational efficiency, increases patient satisfaction, and follows best practices for infection control.
Opening fall 2020, the surgery center incorporates operational flexibility, as well. For example, all ORs are designed for a variety of surgery types, allowing for smooth equipment updates. Through the years, as equipment service lines grow and medical research advances, the procedure rooms are designed to be adaptable based on both their size and layouts.
Project details:
Facility name: Claire C. Brodesser Surgery Center
Location: Cape May Court House, N.J.
Expected completion date: Fall 2020
Owner: Cape Regional Health System
Total building area: 19,125 sq. ft.
Total construction cost: $9.7 million
Cost/sq. ft.: $505/sq. ft.
Architecture firm: E4H Environments for Health
Interior design: E4H Environments for Health
Contracting: P. Agnes
Engineering: SWA (MEP), AG&E (structural)