John and Carol Walter Ambulatory Care Center

Glenbrook, Illinois | LEED Silver


As Glenbrook Hospital has expanded to become a major healthcare facility, Eckenhoff Saunders has programmed and designed all the improvements on the 55-acre campus in the past two decades. It is now part of NorthShore University HealthSystem.

The most recent project is the 150,000 sf John and Carol Walter Ambulatory Care Center. The extensive list of needs for the building included expansion of the Kellogg Cancer Center, a new home for the NorthShore Neurological Institute, facilities for the Center for Urological Health, and increased on-campus space for physicians. Another requirement was consolidating public facilities (retail pharmacy, gift shop, and café) on a convenient ground floor between the two main hospital entries.

The building now provides the main outpatient entry for the hospital. It leads to the primary public circulation system that links the existing inpatient/surgical and emergency entries. This new circulation plan and the glass walls that provide exterior views greatly simplify wayfinding throughout the ACC and the hospital.

All public spaces and waiting areas feature significant natural light, interior landscaping, water features, artwork, and natural materials to enhance the healthcare environment for staff and patients. Separate exterior gardens for cancer patients and café patrons create spaces for healing and relaxation.

The building consolidates all outpatient cancer, neurologic, and urologic clinical facilities. All clinical areas are planned as pods with a small number of exam, treatment, and nursing areas dedicated to one specialty or cancer. The pods are removed from high-volume circulation paths and thus are private and quiet. All treatment rooms with a long patient stay are on the exterior to provide natural light and views. Staff circulation patterns in the cancer center are separated from public areas wherever possible.

The ACC is certified LEED Silver. The two-story lobby atrium has a vegetated roof and a substantial sunscreen that provides a 27% reduction in solar radiation during the summer months. Additional energy efficiencies are provided by obtaining chilled water and steam from the hospital’s central plant.


Credits:

Client/Owner: NorthShore University HealthSystem

Program Manager: Integrated Facilities Solutions, Inc.

General Contractor: Pepper Construction

Civil Engineer: Gewalt Hamilton Associates, Inc.

Landscape Architecture: Teska Associates

Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer:
Grumman/Butkus Associates

Electrical Engineer: Dickerson Engineering

Structural Engineer: C.S. Associates

Photographer: Mariusz Mizera Photography