BOCA RATON, Fla.—Due to the generosity of philanthropists Toby and Leon Cooperman, Boca Raton Regional Hospital – an integral part of the local community for over five decades – is now home to the new Toby and Leon Cooperman Medical Arts Pavilion.

Boca Raton Regional Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida; building upon a three-decade partnership with Baptist Health South Florida, NELSON Worldwide built and designed a space that raises the standard of architecture on campus, extending a warm welcome to visitors and employees alike.

The Toby and Leon Cooperman Medical Arts Pavilion addresses a spectrum of healthcare needs with specialized clinics dedicated to orthopedics, urology, and colorectal care, offering cutting-edge, patient-centric care that keeps community well-being top-of-mind. The meticulously designed facility spans three levels and encompasses an expansive 61,500 square feet, including a top-floor ambulatory surgical suite with five state-of-the-art operating rooms alongside 16 dedicated recovery bays.

Once home to a collection of buildings mainly used as non-clinical spaces, NELSON conducted a comprehensive site clearance and reimagined the grounds as one unified development, creating a novel building tailored to the vibrant Boca Raton community it serves. The development was primarily guided by donor contributions, necessitating a strategic approach to optimizing the available site space within the constraints presented by zoning regulations and vertical height limitations. The design team also needed to exhibit a high level of sensitivity to the neighboring facilities that abut the site, including a single story rehabilitative complex, medical offices, and surrounding clinics, throughout both the design development and construction endeavors.

The main façade of the Toby and Leon Cooperman Medical Arts Pavilion has been adorned with a perforated metal screen – a tip of the hat to Florida’s iconic tropical flora. Palm leaves, the Baptist Health pineapple, and natural florals fill the metal screen and create an inviting art display on the facade. This homage helps establish Baptist Health’s esteemed presence within the vibrant fabric of the South Florida community. The artistic metal screen seamlessly transitions indoors to meet laser-perforated wooden panels, functioning as intuitive wayfinding elements within the premises. The interior depicts the spirit of South Florida through the fluidity of watercolors, the radiance of sunshine, and the vivid hues of greens, blues, and pinks inspired by seashells are meticulously interwoven into both the interior design and architectural aesthetics.

To improve the look and function of the drop-off zone, a choice was made to transform it into a plaza gracing the building’s entrance. This redesigned roundabout boasts a fountain as its hub, complemented by distinctive landscaping elements and native trees, creating a captivating entrance. Abundant seating areas, adorned with lush vegetation, contribute to the inviting ambiance. The resulting plaza will double as a space for hosting large-scale events for the hospital and community.

Prioritizing the outdoors was emphasized within the building as well, and two distinct balconies offer patients and staff members spaces to spend time outside. One balcony serves as a relaxation space dedicated to the well-being of the staff members, while the second is a versatile space that can be easily adapted for various functions and events, adding an element of flexibility to the building’s layout.

The neighboring 380-spot Eleanor R. Baldwin Parking Facility takes on a dual role, accommodating both the building’s staff, physicians, patients, and families, and providing a solution for the overflow parking needs in the neighborhood. This includes the added convenience of valet parking provisions, seamlessly extending its utility to the nearby emergency department situated directly across the street. Architectural enhancements have been incorporated into the five-level garage, including metal fins and screens alongside curated landscaping elements. The stairwells are glazed and illuminate during nighttime hours, boosting security while adding a unique aesthetic element.

The Toby and Leon Cooperman Medical Arts Pavilion and Eleanor R. Baldwin Parking Facility stand reflect the power of philanthropy in enhancing the health and wellbeing of a community. Informed by the specific needs of the surrounding area, NELSON Worldwide designed the facility to serve as a beacon of hope and health by consolidating a range of services, medical practitioners, and specialties to serve the Boca Raton community.

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ATLANTA—A recently completed facility in Georgia aims to help fight addiction while also embracing sustainability, comfort and accessibility—the Addiction Alliance of Georgia in Atlanta, a collaborative, community-based center that integrates addiction-focused treatment, prevention, research, and educational initiatives.

Continuing a longstanding partnership with Emory Healthcare that has spanned multiple projects, their team once again enlisted award-winning architecture, design, and strategy firm, NELSON Worldwide, for this evidence-based design project with the vision of creating a judgment-free, personalized care center to reduce addiction rates, improve recoveries, and save lives. NELSON Worldwide worked with general contractor Structor Group on the project, which started construction in fall 2020 and took about two years to complete.

Made possible by almost $10 million in donations from public and private community partners, this center provides adult and adolescent patients and their families a place where they are welcomed and accepted and where their addiction is viewed as a treatable clinical disease.

Spanning more than 9,000 square feet, the Addiction Alliance of Georgia is located in Emory University Hospital at Wesley Woods. As the existing building lacked extensive access to natural light, a critical need for the new program, NELSON was challenged to evaluate the existing building envelope and be creative about providing access to sunlight. Increasing the size of the building’s existing windows, adding additional windows, implementing strategies for borrowed light, and creating vistas to the exterior did just that.

To make the space feel safe, comfortable, and accessible for both staff and patients, the team conducted the renovation with a hospitality experience in mind. Warm colors and subtle textures throughout softened the feel of the building, transforming the previously unused hospital into a calming wellness hub.

The center features an expansive check-in desk, a lobby filled with neutral tones, and natural elements that bring the outdoors in, all anchored by a modern brass light fixture. There are thoughtfully designed patient areas including consult rooms, a patient break area, and group therapy rooms with plenty of sturdy, comfortable seating, and access to daylight. All lighting is dimmable, and the flooring is carbon-zero, honoring sustainability from a carbon footprint and energy conservation standpoint while also providing warmth to the space.

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Broward Health Imperial Point has expanded its cardiac services with the opening of a new cardiac catheterization lab and interventional radiology suite.

This state-of-the art suite includes two procedures rooms, seven pre-and-post-procedure patient care bays, an isolation room, a room devoted to echo cardiograms, three diagnostic stress lab stations, and an expansive waiting room equipped with the latest patient monitoring technology.

“Our cardiovascular and interventional radiology suite is an investment in our community,” said Randy Gross, CEO of Broward Health Imperial Point. “With the new cath lab patients will have access to critical life-saving cardiac procedures close to home.”

Broward Health Imperial Point’s new cardiac suite is conveniently located on the ground floor, just steps from the emergency department, and is designed to provide a seamless experience for cardiac patients and their families. The expanded facility will have capacity to treat dozens of patients per month.

“When it comes to a heart attack, time is of the essence,” said Mammen P. Zachariah, M.D., Director of Cardiovascular Services, Broward Health Imperial Point. “Having a cardiac catheterization lab close to home allows our multidisciplinary medical team to quickly determine crucial and life-saving next steps in treatment.”

At the cath lab and interventional radiology suite, patients have access to screenings and diagnoses as well as treatment for cardiovascular conditions such as chest pain, heart attacks, heart failure, heart valve problems, cardiogenic shock and more. The most acute heart attack patients will be able to receive critical interventional care.

“This is much more than a cardiac catherization suite,” said Jerry Capote, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Broward Health Imperial Point. “It’s a comprehensive cardiac and interventional radiology unit that seamlessly combines interconnected services, providing patients with the highest quality, timely care.”

Among the procedures that will be performed are diagnostic left and right heart cath coronary intervention (angioplasty); cardiac implants – loop recorders; coronary intravascular ultrasound; thrombectomy; and IABP (intra-aortic balloon pump). Soon to be added to cardiac implants will be pacers and AICDs (automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator).

The new cath and interventional radiology lab is the latest capital improvement made in cardiac care at Broward Health. The health system, which has made a multi-million-dollar investment in cardiac service line upgrades, has a more than 50-year history in advanced cardiac care, dating back to the 1960s when Broward Health opened the first follow-up pacemaker clinic in the country. In the 1970s, the first cardiac cath lab and open heart surgery took place at Broward Health. The healthcare system has been distinguished as one of the nation’s top centers for cardiovascular treatment and provides comprehensive clinical, surgical and rehabilitative care.

Architect on the project was Nelson Worldwide, and construction was overseen by ANF Group.

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