The area available for renovation was undersized and consisted of a warren of laboratory spaces, in the joint between two separate buildings. In addition to two distinct structural systems, the design challenge was to carve out six, 500 to 600 sf rectangular spaces within the structures and tie them together in a logical and efficient manner.

Other challenges included:
• Work areas and supporting equipment needed to be in close proximity to the patient path of travel but hidden from view.
• Because patients are transported awake and on stretchers, special care was taken with detailing of the ceiling plane and removal of lighting that could cause uncomfortable glare in patients’ eyes.
• Optimal construction and minimal interruption to daily operations were achieved by utilizing a two-part phasing scheme.

The design solution optimizes the available space by creating a proportional, clear and well-organized environment that accommodates extensive equipment and wiring, maximizes staff workflow and efficiency, and minimizes patient anxiety and discomfort. State-of-the-art rooms are grouped in pairs around equipment and support spaces. The staff and patient traffic flow is centered around a clear internal corridor to maximize staff workflow and minimize patient movement to the adjacent 21-bed short stay unit.

Project Information
Building Owner:		University of Massachusetts Medical Center
Building Location:		Worcester, Mass. UNITED STATES
Project Type:		Renovation
Principal Building Function:		Cardiac care facility
Project Delivery Method:		General Contractor
Project Timeline		May 2003 Completion Last known status: Completed
Construction Cost:		$5,500,000
Cost Per Sq. Ft:		$289
		About These Cost Figures
Building Information
Project Includes:		Education Healthcare Healthcare: Cardiac Center Healthcare: Hospital Healthcare: Medical School Laboratory Nursing
Total GSF:		19,000
Project Team
Architect		The S/L/A/M Collaborative
Engineer		BR+A/Bard,Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers Inc.
Engineer - Structural		The S/L/A/M Collaborative
Interior Design		The S/L/A/M Collaborative
Profile Created 01/05/2007
Last Updated 02/05/2007
About the Reported Cost Figures The cost figures reported are supplied by the firms that submitted these projects for publication, which in most cases are the designers or builders. Whereas these sources are intimately familiar with their projects, they may not be fully aware of the owners' finally-realized and recorded costs. In some cases, costs are truly and completely accounted for, and in others they represent a near approximation of the final costs. Costs have not been adjusted for year of construction, nor has any attempt been made to make regional cost adjustments. Further, costs are not comparable on any kind of detailed standard costing model. Hence, it is possible for the cost of one building to include a steam boiler, while the cost of a comparable building might not include the boiler, if steam is being supplied from an already existing campus grid. Or, in another case, a building might include excess boiler capacity to supply steam to another building. Some submittals include fees or unusual site improvements as part of the construction costs, which others do not.