31-Exam Room Outpatient Center in Hampton Township Opens this Week
PITTSBURGH, September 6th, 2017 –
The newest UPMC Outpatient Center is fostering a revival of Hampton Township three years in the making. Set on a prominent corner of Mount Royal Boulevard and William Flynn Highway, the 3-story, 43,000 square foot ambulatory care facility is designed to bring a breath of fresh air to the area by transforming the patient experience from the outside – in. Beginning September 5th, patients once burdened with visiting multiple locations for clinical exams, blood draw, and imaging can visit the UPMC Outpatient Center for a one-stop-shop.
“Most of the facilities being relocated to this center come from a ‘strip mall’ type setting with low ceilings, crowded waiting rooms, small exam rooms, and minimal natural light,” says Tami Greene, Associate, Project Manager, AIA, NCARB. “This building offers a refreshing change of pace with spacious waiting areas in a glass atrium that lets in an abundance of natural light and a provides a connection to the outdoors.”
Observers will notice a clean and contemporary building design based on a concept of inverted Ls: one creating a canopy that intersects the glass atrium box, while the other forms the roof to the main portion of the clinical building. Additional wood-look Ls enclose the elevator and stair towers. As part of a holistic building design, the palette of glass, aluminum, and wood-look panels move seamlessly from exterior to interior with the intention of bringing elements of nature to the waiting and wayfinding experience.
Upon entering, patients are greeted by a grand entry lobby with stone-like finishes on the floor and walls, a wood ceiling that extends from the interior to the exterior, and a large, three-story glass atrium providing a welcome distraction for weary patients in what is often an unsettling trip to the doctors’ office. From diagnostics to recovery, all standard outpatient services will be available in one place including: internal medicine, pediatrics, behavioral health, general radiography, women’s health, express care, and rehabilitation. For greater ease of navigation throughout the multiple departments, each floor has a designated color scheme.
Ms. Greene has managed this project from the beginning, and as a nearby resident, she could not be prouder of the project she gets to drive by each day on her way to work. She is filled with anticipation as both an architect and community member as the window of opportunity widens in the area: the center is poised to revitalize both the healthcare landscape and the economic outlook as new businesses stake their claim on Route 8. “This building is the result of constant collaboration with the client and the contractor. Working with the client to understand their vision and designing a building to meet that vision is incredibly rewarding because it is the building’s impact on the staff and patients within, as well as the neighbors, that matters most.”