New M. D. Anderson Outpatient Building "In the Works"

Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz Architects developed design plans for a 600,000-square-foot ambulatory facility that will anchor an expanded patient care campus for The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The building is needed to help meet increasing demands for outpatient cancer care at M. D. Anderson.

The architechts' design is based on a village concept, with the aim of "humanizing" an otherwise overwhelming mass of buildings. This philosophy, together with a goal of creating seemingly "transparent" buildings, affords M. D. Anderson the opportunity to construct a facility that features an abundance of natural light and views to the exterior which will enhance wayfinding for patients, visitors and staff.

Materials suggested for the building exterior are based on the palette currently used on M. D. Anderson's main campus - pink precast, Texas red granite and Texas limestone.

Construction began in July, with occupancy scheduled for 2004.

The Ambulatory Care Building is anticipated to be the first of a series of clinical facilities, built over time, on the site currently occupied by the Houston Main Building, across Holcombe Boulevard from M. D. Anderson's main campus, near Fannin Street. The master plan for the site is based on a central courtyard with two to three levels of underground parking and one to two levels of above-ground parking. Above those levels of parking, the building will include five levels of clinic and office space, a public access floor and a mechanical mezzanine.

The ACB is a significant step toward the continued, managed growth of M. D. Anderson's activities to care for patients with cancer, said Dr. John Mendelsohn, M. D. Anderson president. Over the past several years, M. D. Anderson has experienced an unprecedented demand for services. Last year, M. D. Anderson recorded 448,690 outpatient clinic visits, treatments and procedures - an increase of 9.6 percent over 409,443 in 1999.

"Our economic forecasting model indicates that our clinical volumes and market share will continue to grow if sufficient space is available for high-quality clinical services," Dr. Mendelsohn said. "Following an exhaustive analysis of options, we have developed long-range plans for new ambulatory patient care facilities on our campus. In parallel, we are expanding our facilities for research and educational activities."

The ACB will house outpatient centers and clinics, outpatient diagnostic services, treatment and procedure areas, imaging services, staff offices, administrative space and support services. Also being planned is a new 120,000-square-foot Radiation Oncology Center that will provide enhanced treatment capabilities for care centers located in the building.

The new facility will connect to M. D. Anderson's main hospital and clinic complex via a pedestrian bridge that will cross Holcombe Boulevard. The project also will include roadway and site improvements to support traffic and parking needs generated by the development.

Total project cost is $299 million, which will be funded by $240 million in revenue bonds and $59 million in revenues generated by M. D. Anderson.

The team of Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz Architects, FKP Architects Inc., Hensel Phelps Construction Co. and Jacobs Facilities Inc. have been selected for this project.

Jacobs Facilities, one of the nation's largest design and construction management firms, will manage the project. The design-build work will be handled by FKP Architects and Hensel Phelps, both of which have been involved in several major M. D. Anderson projects.

Serving as design architects will be the Seattle and San Francisco offices of Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz. The company has earned an international reputation for recognizing new health care trends and developing innovative solutions to new challenges.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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