Photo: At 111,000 square feet, the MyMichigan Health Cancer Center consolidates cancer services previously spread across multiple locations into a single destination for treatment and wellness. | Photo Credit (all): HCM
By Serena Peters, AIA, NCARB, EDAC, LEED AP BD+C
When MyMichigan Health set out to provide a comprehensive cancer center for patients across central Michigan, healthcare leaders faced a challenge with their existing facilities on the Midland, Mich., campus. The buildings were aging and misaligned to deliver the patient-focused care they envisioned. To streamline the patient experience, the team needed to carefully evaluate existing assets and rethink how to deliver care in a single, unified space. This led to the $43.4 million MyMichigan Cancer Center. At 111,000 square feet, the facility consolidates cancer services previously spread across multiple locations into a single destination for treatment and wellness.
Evaluating Aging Infrastructure
The cornerstone of the project was the reuse of two aging medical office buildings, Towsley 2 and 3, which were 37 and 48 years old, respectively. Hord Coplan Macht (HCM) led the design effort and conducted an evaluation of MyMichigan Health’s Cancer outpatient facilities to determine how to best use the existing assets.
Rather than a complete demolition and rebuilding, the team opted to repurpose the existing structures, encompassing 106,550 square feet of renovation along with 4,450 square feet of new construction. By stripping down the buildings to their skeletons and rebuilding them as a unified center, the project preserved the core framework. In total, the strategy reduced costs by $12 million—$7 million from site, utility, and structural work, and $5 million from reusing the radiation oncology vaults.
Thoughtful Spaces for Every Step of Care
The project involved stripping the two medical office buildings to their structural bones and replacing the former small and crowded connections with two expansive multi-story connectors, creating continuity through the facility. Exterior walls were redesigned with stone and brick to match recent campus projects, and provide an updated energy efficient building envelope that optimizes overall building performance, while expansive new windows introduced natural light and views of the new landscaped courtyard.
A key challenge was the project’s structural frame, which included a tight 11’ 4” floor-to-floor height that limited flexibility for mechanical systems. To address this, the design team replaced outdated HVAC systems and introduced distributed shafts that reduced above-ceiling requirements. These strategies freed up room for higher ceilings in public areas, alleviating the limitations of the existing structure and creating a more open, welcoming environment.
Equally important was designing a program that addressed the holistic needs of patients and their families. The Cancer Center now brings together medical and surgical oncology, an infusion center with 20 bays, radiation oncology with two linear accelerators and a CT simulator, a women’s and breast health center, and a Mohs skin cancer clinic.
Specialized spaces extend support beyond treatment, featuring a rehabilitation gym, nutrition counseling, boutique and financial support services, providing a fully integrated, patient-centered care experience. Designed to support a multi-disciplinary “One-Stop Shop” model, the facility supports oncology subspecialties to collaborate in real time. Shared consult and exam areas, paired with nearby staff workspaces, make it possible to generate care plans in a single day. This approach improves efficiency and prioritizes the patient experience in treating the whole person, redefining how integrated cancer care can be delivered.
Design in Harmony with Nature
Healing gardens and accessible outdoor spaces were woven into the design, as research from the National Institutes of Health shows that such environments reduce stress, anxiety, and depression among cancer patients, contributing to both emotional recovery and physical well-being.
The new envelope incorporates large windows to maximize daylight and connect interior spaces with the outdoors. Infusion bays, waiting rooms, and clinical spaces all benefit from views into a landscaped courtyard. At the heart of the building is a three-story atrium that opens onto the courtyard, acting as a central gathering space that connects patients, families, and staff with nature throughout the year, whether through summer walks in the garden or quiet moments by the fireplace during Michigan’s winters.
Throughout the interiors, branch patterns embossed in glass openings and dividers embody a tree canopy, offering privacy and diffused light, while additional botanical motifs in the flooring serve as the ground covering. Wood finishes throughout the circulation paths mimic walking trails, guiding patients through the center, and water features at each entry add the soothing sound of trickling water, reinforcing a nature-centric theme in creating a calming environment for patients.
Coordinated Care in Action
What were originally two aging office buildings have been transformed into a modern, patient-focused cancer treatment center. The project balanced cost efficiency, saving more than $12 million by reusing existing assets, while creating a connected hub that fosters warmth and healing. Patients travel hours across rural Michigan to receive treatment at MyMichigan Cancer Center, and now have a clear, cohesive way to navigate through the complex care process.
Serena Peters, AIA, NCARB, EDAC, LEED AP BD+C, is an Associate Principal with Hord Coplan Macht.