When Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County 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, 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.
“In the Chinese culture, Feng Shui is an ancient art of placement that creates a space of balance and harmony, and can promote good health,” said Tingting Tan, M.D., Ph.D., a medical oncologist at City of Hope Newport Beach Fashion Island. “Nature has served as an inspiration for healing in the design, and we want our patients to feel this flow of positive energy and comfort in their environment as they receive treatment,”
“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, which has two locations in Newport Beach. “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.
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.
