A cancer diagnosis brings immense emotional and physical disruption. For many patients, simply arriving at a hospital becomes an overwhelming moment. At the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, we saw the arrival experience not as a secondary consideration, but as an important first opportunity to reduce stress, foster confidence and support healing.
This 12-story, 520,000-sq.-ft, NCI-designated facility brings together the oncology services of Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health. As one of only 13 freestanding cancer hospitals in the country, it provides New Jersey residents with access to advanced care without the burden of traveling to major cities.
Designing for Both Patients and Staff
From entry to treatment, we crafted a unified journey for patients, families and staff—recognizing that each person entering the building brings vulnerability, purpose, or both.
The “Prow” facade anchors the building’s corner at Hardenberg and Somerset Streets
Unlike urban centers that rely on transit, most visitors here arrive by car. This informed the entire site strategy—from building orientation to traffic flow. A prominent facade provides a clear visual anchor. A protected, intuitive drop-off loop offers comfort and dignity, with curbless paving, seating, planting and lighting scaled for people, not cars.
The experience continues seamlessly inside. A four-story, daylit atrium serves as the Center’s living room. Visitors instantly see registration, testing and imaging, reducing uncertainty and wait-time confusion. Above, transparent research labs visibly connect innovation with care. This offers reassurance that their treatment is informed by the cutting-edge science happening just upstairs.
For staff, a direct bridge from parking leads into the same welcoming space. Shared environments, consistent access to daylight and intuitive wayfinding foster a culture of respect and well-being across all roles. Light-filled corridors and expansive views help everyone orient themselves, reducing stress and cognitive fatigue.
Expansive glass walls at ground level dissolve the barrier between the building and the street. At night, the glowing interior becomes a beacon.
Arrival Design Delivers Strategic Value
For healthcare leaders, three goals often drive capital projects:
- Enhance the patient experience
- Improve operational flow
- Attract and retain top talent
Arrival design advances all three. It creates first impressions that build trust, supports efficient circulation for patients and staff, and signals institutional values that matter to clinicians and caregivers.
At the Morris Cancer Center, features like a demonstration kitchen and a sculptural helical stairway in the atrium do more than impress. They reinforce wellness, hope and connection. These design choices send a message that this is a place of care, innovation and humanity.
5 Principles for Effective Arrival Design
Our team applies five core principles to every arrival experience:
- Lead with legibility – Let form, landscape and circulation guide users before signage is needed.
- Provide real shelter – Design canopies that offer true protection from the elements.
- Make key destinations visible – Ensure check-in, imaging and labs are clear from the entrance.
- Connect to context – Integrate with the surrounding campus, street life and transit—not just the curb.
- Honor the human scale – Use natural materials, landscaping and seating to create a calming, people-centered environment.
Integrated Design, Measurable Results
Realizing this vision for the Morris Cancer Center required seamless collaboration from the integrated HOK team. Our planners choreographed circulation flows. Landscape architects extended nature indoors. Interior designers and clinical planners synchronized patient movement with operational needs. Facade engineers accelerated construction through prefabrication without compromising performance.
Even during the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual coordination kept the project on track—demonstrating the resilience of integrated design.
Arrival Is Foundational, Not Optional
Too often, arrival design is viewed as merely cosmetic. It’s not. In fact, it’s foundational to outcomes, experience and operations. Patients form impressions of care quality before they ever speak to a provider. Staff judge leadership based on how the workplace supports their daily work. What’s often overlooked is how profoundly simple elements—space, light, nature—shape experiences. Buildings should inspire, not just serve.
Designing a better arrival isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about delivering a promise of care and competence from the very first moment. A well-crafted arrival instills confidence while offering a human, dignified experience that sets the tone for everything that follows.
For more information, contact HOK’s John MacCallum, senior project designer in Philadelphia, at john.maccallum@hok.com.