Project Category – Remodel/Renovation (completed January 1999)

Facility Contact – William R. Blanchard II, Vice-President, Professional Services, (410) 554-2497

Firm – Cannon Design, (716) 774-3208

Design Team – Raymond A. Moldenhauer, AIA, Principal; John C.K. Wan, AIA, Vice-President; John M. Currie, AIA, Healthcare Planner; Gay Lynn Forney, IIDA, Interior Design

Patient/Bed Capacity – N/A

Total Building Area (sq. ft.) – 27,000

Total Land Area (acres) – N/A

Total Cost – $2,700,000

Named for the renowned hand surgery pioneer Dr. Raymond Curtis, this unique center of clinical excellence for this demanding medical specialty was designated to be of “National” stature by an act of Congress in 1994. The renovated two-story Center meets virtually all patient needs: treatment, rehabilitation, vocational analysis, and teaching for problems ranging from reconstruction and arthritis to congenital conditions.

Clearly visible from reception through expansive interior glass panels, the hand therapy area distinguishes itself as the focal point of the Center, conveying the positive message to patients that their injuries are not a limitation to be hidden. Workstations are organized in circular patterns, using a combination of custom casework and portable tables that appear as groupings of inviting tables and chairs. Therapists work in the center of the circle with patients seated around the perimeter-a design that not only improves interaction between hand therapists and patients, but also promotes a learning environment, giving therapists the flexibility to concentrate on a single patient or supervise multiple patients. This configuration creates an atmosphere of camaraderie, a radical departure from the traditional clinical environment, and eliminates the necessity of moving patients and/or equipment from area to area.

To create a practical, yet distinctive, environment that reinforces the image of the facility as a National Center of Excellence, the interior design concept draws upon the colors and textures of nature. Consistency of detail and continuity of color palette, using a broad range of standard and premium finishes, create a feeling of comfort and healing, compatible with the architectural intent and function of the interior space.