John and Carol Walter Ambulatory Care Center
Glenbrook, Illinois | LEED Silver
As Glenbrook Hospital has expanded to become a major healthcare facility, Eckenhoff Saunders has programmed and designed all the improvements on the 55-acre campus in the past two decades, including the 150,000 sf John and Carol Walter Ambulatory Care Center (ACC). The extensive list of needs for the building included expansion of the Kellogg Cancer Center, a new home for the NorthShore Neurological Institute, Center for Urological Health facilities, and increased on-campus space for physicians. Another requirement was consolidating public facilities (retail pharmacy, gift shop, and café) between the two main hospital entries on a convenient ground floor.
The building now provides the main outpatient entry for the hospital. It leads to the primary public circulation system that links the existing inpatient/surgical and emergency entries. This new circulation plan and the glass walls that provide exterior views greatly simplify wayfinding throughout the ACC and the hospital.
Every public space and waiting area in the ACC is a testament to our commitment to creating a healing environment. Significant natural light, interior landscaping, water features, artwork, and natural materials have been carefully integrated to enhance the healthcare experience for both staff and patients. The separate exterior gardens for cancer patients and café patrons further demonstrate our dedication to creating spaces for healing and relaxation.
The building consolidates all outpatient cancer, neurologic, and urologic clinical facilities. All clinical areas are planned as pods with a small number of exam, treatment, and nursing areas dedicated to one specialty or cancer. The pods are removed from high-volume circulation paths and thus are private and quiet. All treatment rooms with a lengthy patient stay are on the exterior to provide natural light and views. Staff circulation patterns in the cancer center are separated from public areas wherever possible.
The ACC, a beacon of sustainability, proudly holds a LEED Silver certification. Its two-story lobby atrium boasts a vegetated roof and a substantial sunscreen that provides a 27% reduction in solar radiation during the summer months. Additional energy efficiencies are achieved by obtaining chilled water and steam from the hospital’s central plant, making it an attractive investment for those who value environmental responsibility.