In 2015 the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute recognized a need for an expansion of services. To enhance their quality of services and offer the most comfortable experience possible for their patients, they endeavored to build a two-story, 10,000-square-foot addition to house a fourth treatment gantry and accelerator, increasing treatment capacity by 25 percent and allowing them to treat more patients and target a wider variety of cancer types.
The new machine targets cancer cells with greater precision to limit the amount of damage to surrounding tissue, resulting in an improved recovery experience for patients. Expanding the facility to accommodate the new equipment meant adding a fourth treatment gantry and accelerator to increase treatment capacity by 25 percent.
The Institute has now realized this vision and is seeing the successful results of the expansion project. The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute now has one of the most versatile proton therapy systems in the world, and the building supports and enhances its ability to deliver optimal treatment customized for each patient.
In 2015 the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute recognized a need for an expansion of services. To enhance their quality of services and offer the most comfortable experience possible for their patients, they endeavored to build a two-story, 10,000-square-foot addition to house a fourth treatment gantry and accelerator, increasing treatment capacity by 25 percent and allowing them to treat more patients and target a wider variety of cancer types.
The new machine targets cancer cells with greater precision to limit the amount of damage to surrounding tissue, resulting in an improved recovery experience for patients. Expanding the facility to accommodate the new equipment meant adding a fourth treatment gantry and accelerator to increase treatment capacity by 25 percent.
The Institute has now realized this vision and is seeing the successful results of the expansion project. The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute now has one of the most versatile proton therapy systems in the world, and the building supports and enhances its ability to deliver optimal treatment customized for each patient.
Project Owner
Stuart Klein, Proton Therapy Institute
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Completion Date
February 2019
Project Size
11,300 SF
Cost
$11,077,445
Contractor
Gilbane Building Company
Delivery Method
CM-At-Risk
Partners
Affiliated Engineers, Inc. (MEPF)
Miller Engineering (Formerly Structural Engineers Group) (Structural)
EDA engineers-surveyors-planners (Civil)
Awards
ACI Significant Concrete Award 2019
The vision for the center has always been to create a space that went beyond medical treatment to facilitate healing and wellness. The design of this expansion served to improve patient comfort by obscuring the gantries, creating a less visually intimidating environment for visitors. The patient entrance to the gantry room is broad enough to accommodate stretchers, patients, staff, and faculty, as well as groups on educational tours. The entire treatment room features color-changing LED lighting and projected digital art that can be customized and changed to create an environment of compassion and healing in the midst of extreme technology and efficiency.
The addition’s architectural features blend with the original design, enhancing the facility’s aesthetics rather than diminishing them with visual inconsistency. The Proton Corridor has been central to the organization of spaces since its inception, in the original building design. In order to prioritize patient flow through the proton treatment rooms, the expansion leverages and builds on that organization and the design elements that have made it successful.
The expansion has greatly enhanced efficiency, patient and staff safety, and treatment accuracy, not to mention the clinical advantages gained by adding the advanced delivery technique of pencil beam scanning.
Selected Works
University of Miami Life SciencesNanotechnology Researchers Gain a Highly Specialized Lab
UF Thomas M. and Irene B. Kirbo Innovation and Learning LabDesign Healing Spaces
UF Health Family Medicine - Haile PlantationHealthcare as an Integral Neighborhood Element
St Augustine Government House RehabilitationFirst LEED Certified Historic Building in Florida
Shands Facilities Administration BuildingOpen Plan Design Promotes Collaboration
Reitz Union Expansion and RenovationEmphasizing a Sense of Place for Gators
Radiant Credit Union Operations BuildingRadiant Credit Union Operations Building
LifeSouth RenovationElevating the Donor Experience
IT PRO.tv RenovationA Launchpad for Online Learning
Exactech Parking GarageWelcome to Exactech
Clinical Techniques & Skills Assessment LabDelivering a Premier Clinical Simulation Lab
Chi Institute ExpansionModern Facility for Ancient Healing Arts
Career Connections CenterThe Bridge from College to Professional Life
Basic Science Building Lab RenovationMaking an Old Laboratory New
Ayers Build-Out for UF Information TechnologyThinking, Working, Innovation
Austin Cary Conference CenterNature Shapes Design
Alpha Delta Pi Sorority House RenovationProject type
Katie Seashole Pressly Softball StadiumProject type
Field and Fork Food PantryProject type
UF Health Proton Therapy Institute Gantry ExpansionExpansion; Healthcare
Facade Renovations for Trimark PropertiesA Distinctive Facade Within the Innovation District
Legal Advocacy CenterReal World Facility for Law Students
Florida FFA HeadquartersFormer Daycare Re-purposed as Space for Emerging Leaders
Exactech Expansion and RenovationWelcome to Exactech
Hotel Eleo at the University of FloridaProject type
UF Veterinary Medicine Central Utility PlantProject type
UF Basic Science LabDesigning an agile lab environment for UF Basic Science.
UF Norman Hall RehabilitationCollege of Education Revisioning
UF Graduate and Professional Student LoungesFocused Recreation
Indoor Tennis Practice FacilityNow Any Weather is Tennis Weather
Phi Mu Sorority HouseReorganized Spaces Provide Maximum Benefit
CRA Move to GTECCRA move to GTEC
UF College of Veterinary Medicine AdditionStandalone addition to the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida.
Norman GroundNorman Hall Ground Floor Renovation
Lake City Fire Station No. 2Lake City Fire Station No. 2
Tax Collector New Northwest BranchTax Collector New Northwest Branch
Design for an Agile World
Design for an Agile World
2035 NW 13th St
Gainesville, FL 32609
(352) 672-6448
1389 Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
(770) 702-0261
Have a question about how we might help you? Looking to join the team? Contact Andrea!
© 2023 Walker Architects, Inc. / License No. AA26002009