Project Category – New Construction (completed November 1999)

Facility Contact – John Oden, (626) 359-8111

Firm – SmithGroup, (310) 586-5400

Design Team – William Roger, Managing Director; Judy Caruthers, Vice-President; Kam Kamaran, Associate

Patient/Bed Capacity – 11 chemotherapy stations, 6 exam rooms

Total Building Area (sq. ft.) – 11,000

Total Land Area (acres) – N/A

Total Cost – $600,000


The client’s intent was to create access to the City of Hope for the patient population in West Los Angeles and to provide an alternate venue where its board of trustees could meet closer to those members living in West Los Angeles. City of Hope chose a midrise office building on Wilshire Boulevard, near the Santa Monica Freeway.

Openness and light were key to the design of this facility located within a commercial office building. Unique to the site is a rooftop garden that recalls the healing gardens of the City of Hope main campus in Duarte. This new satellite treatment facility was planned to take advantage of the north and west light allowed by the rooftop garden.

The design of the patient areas was paramount to the City of Hope. The clinic’s infusion area faces the gardens, providing an opportunity for individual privacy. As an alternative to the garden view, the design also includes a “video tower” for each patient in the infusion area.

Patients are greeted at the elevator lobby with soft lighting, warm tones and a low ceiling, to convey a safe entry to an otherwise unsettling experience. An inviting signage piece guides them toward the clinic. The creation of small seating areas lends a more human scale to the large waiting room, which features glass panels that allow more light to permeate the space. The materials replace the institutional feel with a more sophisticated corporate feel. Patient treatment areas are highlighted by distinct colors and patterns on the floor. The nursing station recalls the sophistication of the reception area and is warmed by the use of wood.

The project schedule and budget were extremely tight. The design solution utilized shared spaces, common reception and durable materials to make the most of the given program and achieve the client’s budget goals.

This project recently received the Urban Architectural Beautification Award from the Los Angeles Business Council. This is the 30th year for the award; it recognizes outstanding projects that enhance the skyline and quality of life throughout the city.