Novant Health Zimmer Cancer Institute
To enhance the delivery of cancer care, a leading oncology practice partnered with the hospital’s comprehensive cancer center, creating an integrated model that expands access, streamlines operations, and elevates the patient experience.
LOCATION Wilmington, NC
COMPLETED 2015
SIZE 51,100 SF
PHOTOGRAPHER Keith Isaacs
AWARDS AIA North Carolina
Strategic Expansion
The 51,100 SF expansion and renovation was designed to accommodate growing demand while fostering greater comfort, efficiency, and continuity of care for patients, families, and caregivers.
The project significantly expands the chemotherapy treatment suite, introducing four private infusion rooms and 46 open treatment bays within a thoughtfully designed healing environment. Additional improvements include renovations to Radiation Oncology, a new six-exam-room medical oncology pod, expanded pharmacy and phlebotomy services, and associated support spaces that enhance clinical workflow and operational performance.
Design Details
Patient experience was a driving force behind the design of the infusion suite, with the patient advisory group providing firsthand perspectives that shaped the planning of this critical treatment environment. Through a collaborative engagement process, patients emphasized the importance of choice, advocating for a range of settings that accommodate diverse preferences for privacy, connection, and comfort.
In response, the infusion bays were designed as a flexible spectrum of care environments rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. Bathed in natural light and oriented to views of nature, the treatment areas include private rooms, semi-private bays with transparent enclosures, shared bays that support mutual encouragement, and more open “fast-track” settings. The design also recognizes the vital role of family caregivers, incorporating space for companions to comfortably participate in the treatment journey.
By empowering patients to select the environment that best meets their needs, the design restores a sense of agency and personal control—an often-overlooked but meaningful contributor to comfort, dignity, and healing throughout the care experience.