Stormont-Vail HealthCare Cotton-O’Neil Cancer Center, Topeka, KS

Oct. 1, 2007

Project Innovations 2007

Created to house the prevention, treatment, and research for cancer, Cotton-O'Neil Cancer Center is truly state of the art, with the only PET/CT scanner in a 13-county region of Kansas and the second Trilogy Image-Guided Radiotherapy linear accelerator within the state.

From education to diagnostics to treatment, and from staff to patients to visitors, a holistic approach has been taken and improved with the latest technology to create a single place that the community can use to increase citizen health and awareness.

Special Design Features
The layout of the center's floorplan, which clearly defines the three main public elements (entry/lobby, medical diagnostics, and medical oncology treatment), avoids the typical hospital maze of departments. The lobby - a tall, naturally lit space off the main corridor - extends the length of the building. The corridor, with a taller ceiling, separates the diagnostics side of the building from the treatment side, with both areas taking up roughly half the floor space.

A fiber-optic lit dome above the linear accelerator mimics a summer night's sky in Kansas, with the power system and fiber optics allowing the stars to twinkle and even incorporate the occasional shooting star.

Design/Construction Challenge
The linear accelerator sits in a vault made with 15,000 tons of concrete and has a shielded door weighing approximately 5,000 pounds, separating it from the rest of the building. The vault required specially engineered concrete forms, as well as a coordinate, continuous concrete pour schedule, to ensure there were no joints throughout the concrete.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Buildings, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Building Better Schools

Download this digital resource to better understand the challenges and opportunities in designing and operating educational facilities for safety, sustainability, and performance...

Tips to Keep Facility Management on Track

How do you plan to fill the knowledge gap as seasoned facility managers retire or leave for new opportunities? Learn about the latest strategies including FM tech innovations ...

The Beauty & Benefits of Biophilic Design in the Built Environment

Biophilic design is a hot trend in design, but what is it and how can building professionals incorporate these strategies for the benefits of occupants? This eHandbook offers ...

The Benefits of Migrating from Analog to DMR Two-Way Radios

Are you still using analog two-way radios? Download this white paper and discover the simple and cost-effective migration path to digital DMR radios that deliver improved audio...