Intentional Design of Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
at City of Hope Orange County Creates Hope and Healing

 

When Lennar Foundation Cancer Center opens its doors in Irvine later this year, it will be unlike any other comprehensive cancer center. Patients and their families will see and feel the difference as soon as they enter.

 

Natural light will stream through the many windows. Soothing colors of earth, sky and sand will cover the walls.  Stone, metal and wood elements will be prominent throughout, with beautiful art inside and glimmering water features outside that create inviting spaces. Water and fire also serve as inspiration. In the waiting room shown above, for instance, warm wood wall panels and flooring are complemented by azure and aqua blues reminiscent of the ocean.

 

The 190,000-square-foot comprehensive cancer center was designed in consultation with a leading Feng Shui expert. The result is a space filled with harmonious energy and a place of hope and healing that will serve residents of Orange County for generations to come.

 

Every aspect of the purposeful design conveys that the future is hope, from the bright and airy reception area to the expansive views of the fourth-floor infusion center.

 

Our patients and their families are why City of Hope is here in Orange County. Our commitment to saving lives and finding cures is at the heart of our groundbreaking scientific research and highly specialized cancer care. And it’s built into the foundation of the comprehensive cancer center that will provide access to more than 400 physicians and 1,000 researchers and scientists who focus solely on curing cancer.

 

“There were some really important considerations in the way we approached the design and the environment that the building is in,” said Annette Walker, president of City of Hope Orange County. “In Orange County, we have a lot of green space and a great appreciation of nature and its ability to create healing environments. In the design, we took a lot of care to make sure that we brought the warmth of nature in, that this felt like a comfortable place where you would want to be.”

 

The result is a supportive and healing environment for all.

 

“As an organization, City of Hope values principles found in both Eastern and Western medicine, which is why we’ve used Feng Shui to promote a positive, healing energy in the cancer center,” said Laura Grant, executive director of strategic implementation at City of Hope Orange County. “All the details—from the frosted glass doors in the infusion room to the metal pendant lights to the artwork behind the lobby reception desk—add up to create a harmonious and holistic design approach.”

 

City of Hope has also worked closely with its patient advisory group - City of Hope patients who provide input from the patient perspective. The patients also provided feedback on the design, from details about the furniture to how the hallways and waiting areas feel.

 

“I know firsthand how the right atmosphere makes all the difference in cancer care,” said Kevin Walker, a retired construction expert and a member of the patient advisory group.  “There is so much visibility here — the use of open space, the big windows, the expansive sunlight. Even before the interior was built, when we were looking at blueprints and touring life-sized layouts of the rooms, I could tell that this cancer center provides a calming, healing environment, and that’s going to help patients and their families tremendously.”

 

 

Lennar Foundation Cancer Center will offer an unprecedented range of cancer services, many of which are the first of their kind for the region. It will be the home of leading cancer researchers and cancer professionals and serve as a center for innovation and compassionate, patient-focused care.

 

Patients can currently access City of Hope’s care at four Orange County locations that form a network of leading-edge cancer research and treatment.

 

Cancer doesn’t stand a chance. The future is hope, and it’s unfolding in Orange County. Visit cityofhope.org/OC to learn more, and follow us on social media @cityofhopeoc.