Video: How the design of the Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center 'stands on its own from every angle'
Sitting adjacent to the shore of Biscayne Bay, the Irma and Norman Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center is a one-of-its-kind building that considers all aspects of health through both its relationship to its surroundings and the spectrum of clinical care within.
The center replaces an aging facility while also collocating all outpatient cancer care services into one building. The rolling waves of the exterior panels give the Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center its signature look from all angles, whether walking into the building’s entrance or approaching from the Julia Tuttle Causeway.
From the early stages of the design for this building, everyone involved wanted this to be a place that nurtures dignity, health and wellness in cancer patients and their loved ones. In addition to the unique exterior design features, we wanted to showcase the site itself within the design as much as possible.
In the video below, follow the patient journey from the outside in, where the landscape and water are highlighted not only by the shape of the building itself, but from how it is continually framed and on display in public and patient spaces.
Expansive views to the water and Miami skyline are front and center in public waiting areas on every floor, as well as in the infusion bays. The building form is wrapped around the an expansive healing garden, which helps situate the garden and shades outdoor spaces. When entering the center, patients and visitors are drawn towards the healing garden and water views by the lobby’s ceiling. It gradually ascends to create a feeling of expansion and compel movement towards the healing garden and public seating.
As a building that patients will return to for weeks and months at a time, the interior patient journey was just as important. Access to natural light was prioritized throughout the building. Windows were included in major imaging modalities, even the MRI, and look out towards the water and outdoor gardens. Infusion bays are positioned in a way that frames patient views of the Miami skyline and shoreline.
Above all else, the Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center is designed to help patients stay grounded, reclaim control over their sense of self and cultivate hope for their prognosis.
