The future of cancer care, today: UT Health Multispecialty and Research Hospital.

Balancing High Tech with High Touch.

“The hospital architecture seamlessly integrates the laboratory functions of cancer research with the patient-centered aspects of direct clinical care,” adds partner Ariel Chavela. “At every opportunity, the design team worked to balance high-tech diagnostic and treatment functions with a high-touch patient experience.” In a literal connection to the UT research community, the building features a sky bridge connecting the new hospital to the UT Mays Cancer Center. Mays Cancer Center is home to UT Health San Antonio M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, adding to greater engagement campus-wide, fostering collaboration and accelerating the pace of scientific discovery.

Future-looking and Sustainable Design.

The project includes 144 licensed patient beds on six floors, including intensive care, bone marrow transplant and oncology beds. Four floors will be built out initially, with the ability to expand into two additional shell floors when needed. To plan for this future state, the building is positioned so the podium can be expanded. A second bed tower can be added, and the parking garage can be doubled in size. The bed tower will have impressive vistas of San Antonio’s rolling landscape to the north, as well as a commanding view of the Medical Center. Additionally, the building rotates 45 degrees between the plinth and the patient bed tower, considering site orientation and sun path while also providing for future expansion.

The patient bed tower faces an East West access which reduces solar gain and improves patient comfort. Solar shading is optimized with horizontal sunshades on the South facade, and vertical fins on the north facade. High performance glazing provides comfortable daylight and low solar gain. The glass lobby and dining areas face northeast for improved comfort. Water use is significantly reduced with low and ultra-low flush toilets, and LED lighting is specified throughout the building, saving energy.

Centering the Patient Experience

The Hospital is designed to offer a sense of welcome and wellbeing to all our different user groups: patients, and family providers, UT faculty and students. By considering convenience, comfort, and ease at every step, we can create a consistently positive visitor experience.

Visitors will be received in an airy, light-filled lobby, featuring a meditation space glowing from within translucent walls. Calming, healing interior rooms will offer a familiar sense of place, with finishes and colors evocative of the natural local landscape. The art program planned for the building is curated to bring uplifting imagery to healing spaces. A spacious dining area will provide a nature retreat: artful wall murals of local Live Oak trees, and floor-to-ceiling views toward outdoor dining and a scenic garden. The wayfinding system is thoughtfully designed to eases visitor navigation throughout the facility.