Bryan Health
consolidating high-quality cancer care in a serene great plains sanctuary
Bryan Health
April Sampson Cancer Center
In the rural Midwest, a cancer diagnosis can trigger a dizzying logistical puzzle for patients and their families. It is not uncommon for people to travel hundreds of miles to see a disparate set of specialists. With the April Sampson Cancer Center, Ballinger is helping Bryan Health and Cancer Partners of Nebraska ease this burden for the over 75,000 Nebraskans diagnosed with cancer every year. This 140,000 SF, comprehensive cancer center outside of South Lincoln, Nebraska will serve as an iconic structure consolidating services from multiple sites in the Bryan Health system.
key information
"Cancer care is not one appointment, but comprehensive cancer treatment can happen in one facility. Our goal was not only to centralize care, but to also provide a positive and welcoming space for the entire patient journey."
unifying the pieces
Ballinger began the project with programming workshops discussing industry trends and project-specific goals. The room-by-room program was developed to reflect patient volume growth and target utilization rates. The team also conducted benchmarking and research, analysis of key adjacency relationships, and optimization of patient flows. The resulting design maximizes the site’s natural features, with views of a landscape that includes meadows, woods, and water features.
the geography of healing
Typical of this area of eastern Nebraska’s dissected till plains, the parcel of land the project sits on consists of gently rolling, lightly wooded hills and includes a natural pond. Tracing the contours of the topography, the building runs mostly north/south and is built into the slope of the site. The building is a single story on its western, uphill side. Parking and arrival are located here, and the façade is muted. The eastern side is two stories tall so that programs in both levels can take advantage of the light and views. The eastern façade is mostly glass with substantial roof overhang to limit glare and solar heat gain.
The building’s lobby is at its narrowest portion and accommodates the vertical circulation with a descending monumental stair as well as elevators and affords a double-height view of the subtle, yet stunning, landscape. This side of the site is being preserved and enhanced as a public park for recreation and patient rehabilitation.
The facility is scheduled to open in 2024.
