Albuquerque – New Mexico Cancer Center recently won the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties' 2008 Award of Excellence for medical facilities for its new three-story, 34,500-square-foot building.
The building, which is adjacent to the Center's main Albuquerque facility at 4901 Lang Ave. NE, comprises office suites, advanced PET/CT and MRI diagnostic and treatment spaces, and increased infusion treatment spaces.
Located close to one of the busiest areas in the city, NMCC's new building was designed to complement the center's existing building by utilizing similar colors and materials, with unique design features to set it apart. One unique feature is a colored-glass, enclosed stairwell, resembling a stained-glass mural, which is a focal point of NMCC's campus. The colored glass is designed to invoke positive, uplifting healing notions to patients and staff, according to Doug Majewiski of Hartman + Majewski, architect for the project. The vibrant colors of the glass are integrated into finishes throughout the facility.
Majewiski said Hartman + Majewski, the executive team at NMCC and the general contractor, Gear & Condon, collaborated closely throughout the project to ensure patients' needs received first priority, and that design of the building took their needs into account.
“We designed and placed windows and exterior covered balconies in ways that would take advantage of the tremendous views offered by the site. The building incorporates a comfortable, cozy sheltered courtyard space between the new building and the original facility, and maximizes convenient patient parking as well as providing separate covered areas for patient drop off and pick up,” he said.
Another challenge the design team faced was not only to make the new building a spectacular landmark, but also use each square foot very efficiently. The team created the critical space needed for the already crowded cancer treatment center, specialized areas for high-tech cancer diagnostic and imaging equipment, and the capacity for additional infusion treatment areas.
