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September 01, 2009

Summit Tri-star Digestive Wellness Center Cited For Design Excellence And Innovation Design By Westlake Reed Leskosky

NORTON, OHIO (FALL 2009)–In today's healthcare environment, size alone is no indication of design quality and delivery innovation. The new $3 million Summit Tri-Star Digestive Wellness Center in Norton, Ohio, a modest 11,700 square feet, is demonstrating big payoffs in terms of architectural excellence, project development, convenient, one-stop medical services, and sustainable building practices.

The project has recently received an AIA Ohio 2009 Merit Award for Newly Completed Buildings as part of the design awards program of the Ohio Society of the American Institute of Architects, a program that encourages quality and high performance design, and AIA's principles of livable communities. The project has also been recognized with the Healthcare Design 2008 Architectural Showcase Award for new construction and the National Commercial Builders Council Grand Award (Medical) in 2009.

Designed by national healthcare specialists Westlake Reed Leskosky, the Cleveland, Ohio-based integrated architectural and engineering firm, the free-standing, combination outpatient office center expresses the forward-thinking, successful medical practice of its owners. The design creates a serene and calming healthcare environment for an outpatient endoscopy center and gastroenterology offices of three private practitioners. Through a sophisticated simplicity of forms, materials, and natural light, this straightforward medical office building is endowed with a gracious and understated elegance.

Philip LiBassi, AIA, ACHA, principal of Westlake Reed Leskosky, states, "The Summit Tri-Star Digestive Wellness Center demonstrates that even a small medical office building can be 'big' in design quality. Many medical office buildings are typical of strip-malls or colonial buildings. We were intrigued by physicians who shared our interest in creating a high level of refinement through a modern, aesthetic approach to design." Recently nationally recognized among Healthcare Design's Top 20 Making a Difference, LiBassi leads the firm's integrated healthcare design specialty.

With offices in Cleveland, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C., Westlake Reed Leskosky was selected for the project based on a portfolio of contemporary healthcare architecture and integrated design that includes work for such clients as the Cleveland Clinic, Veteran's Administration, and Banner Health.

But aesthetic excellence is only one aspect of the project's innovations. The physicians brought the expertise of Zumpano and Hanson Development of Akron, Ohio on board as developer/construction manager. Representing the owners, Zumpano and Hanson also assisted in feasibility and market analysis, site acquisition, and financing, as well as the selection of Westlake Reed Leskosky and the professional consulting team.

The project also demonstrates current trends toward convenient access and centralized services for medical practices. Supporting the needs of its physicians, the program is organized into two areas: endoscopy outpatient facilities including two procedure rooms and nine patient bays, and general medical office space including seven examination rooms and two special procedure rooms, linked by centralized support offices for staff. Each of the spaces has its own waiting room and separate entrance, and each side is designed to accommodate future expansion.

Angela Mazzi, AIA, associate principal of Westlake Reed Leskosky and director of healthcare programming and planning, comments, "It is interesting to note that the physicians were combining two practices that worked out of several offices and did patient procedures out of several hospitals. This new facility not only allows them to consolidate their operations, but it provides one-stop shopping for patients with easy access and free parking-- making it convenient to get a checkup, follow up with necessary procedures and come pack post-operatively for a doctor visit. This is a growing trend in healthcare to decentralize services and move outpatient procedures out of hospitals."

Another project innovation is the use of the state-of-the-art building practices of sustainable geothermal HVAC system. The geothermal HVAC system consists of a ground-loop heat exchanger (GLHE), a ground loop water (glycol) piping and distribution system, geothermal heat pumps, and an energy recovery ventilator.

Convenient One-Stop Access to a Serene, Healing Environment<./b>
The Digestive Wellness Center is located on a 2.6-acre site on a busy thoroughfare in the midst of a neighborhood that is undergoing a transition from residential to commercial use. The strategy of implementing a tranquil environment conducive to healing and emotional well being was initiated through the use of understated, elegant and visually legible forms that stand in quiet contrast to the visual clutter of the surrounding context. The building is carefully woven into new and equally elemental landscaping.

Ronald A. Reed, FAIA, IIDA, principal and a lead designer of Westlake Reed Leskosky, notes, "Through minimal forms and a neutral palette of materials, the architecture is elegant and serene yet warm and welcoming. The assembly gains memorable presence from a few easily readable gestures. On the street elevation, a knoll of ornamental grasses leads up to a backlit glass band that acts as a linear beacon. This glazing also allows soft, filtered light to enter patient areas, creating a calm and soothing ambience."

Visitors are intuitively directed to a heroically scaled canopy and main entry. Reception and waiting areas are housed in a glass pavilion, revealing the activities within. These devices provide an introduction to the internal spaces and introduce the cues to a wayfinding strategy that is achieved through the straightforward planning of circulation systems and functional zones, and underscored by the use of natural light.

From the vehicular drop-off, patients enter a vestibule that provides two discreet entries, one to the Outpatient Endoscopy Center and one to the Doctors' Offices. Patient parking is conveniently located behind the building with a direct path to the entrance. Service and employee access points are likewise conveniently and discreetly located, separating and screening non-patient related functions.

Opened in April 2008, the Outpatient Endoscopy Center includes two procedure rooms, and nine pre- and post- procedure patient holding bays along with related support areas including scope processing, nurse's station, and other supporting functions. A discharge vestibule is conveniently located adjacent to the main entry and within the protection of the overhead canopy. Completed in November 2007, the Doctors' Offices include seven exam rooms, two procedure rooms, as well as related support. Employee and physician amenities include administrative functions, a staff lounge, and physician work areas. Interior spaces, such as exam rooms, patient holding bays, staff amenities, and waiting areas are all designed with strategically placed expanses of clear and translucent glass, balancing the need for natural light and views with patient privacy.

To enhance the tranquil nature of the building and grounds, the palette of materials, both exterior and interior, is subdued and monochromatic. This approach produces an environment that responds to the ever-changing nature of light common to northeast Ohio. The result renders all parts of the building in a constant but subtle state of change, keeping the building fresh through chromatic reinvention. Color, where it is used internally, finds inspiration in the natural environment, and echoes the landscaping, creating a cohesive environment.

Sustainable Geothermal Heating
Westlake Reed Leskosky provided integrated mechanical engineering for the renewable geothermal HVAC system. Based on the estimate of a base cooling load of 35 tons for the building, the ground-loop heat exchanger was designed to consist of 20 vertical boreholes at 20 foot spacings. Each borehole contains a 1" HDPE runout loop. Runout loops are circuited to (4) main header pipes (2" HDPE). Supply and return header piping run under the proposed parking lot and enter the building at the mechanical room, where pipes connect to the main manifolds. 3" supply and return piping aree distributed to the building.

Two base-mounted pumps (one running, one standby) are preliminarily sized at 105 gpm / 90 ft. w.g.: B&G 1-1/2"BC, 5 hp, with end suction strainer and triple duty valve. Other equipment includes an expansion tank, strainer, air separator. The ground loop system is charged with 30% propylene glycol.

Heat pumps are selected as follows, based on Florida Heat Pump (FHP) "Geo-saver" Series, rated for entering condenser water temperatures of 25˚F - 100˚F. (Common areas / circulation are fed from HP's below.)

Project Team Credits
Westlake Reed Leskosky (www.WRLDesign.com) provided integrated and comprehensive architecture, interior design, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural engineering services. Zumpano and Hanson Development, Akron, Ohio (www.ZHDevelopment.com) served as developer/construction manager for the project. Owner's business operations consultant is Ortmann Healthcare Consultants, LTD, Columbia, South Carolina. Mindy Caldren of Caldren Interiors provided interior design services. Landscape architect is Sunset Gardens, Peninsula, Ohio. Site/civil engineer is Spagnuolo & Associates, Fairlawn, Ohio.