The Breast Center at Memorial Care’s Saddleback Medical Center (SMC) Campus was a thriving medical practice situated in an ideal location, but operating in a 40-year-old facility. To best serve their patients and the community, SMC determined they needed to maintain the existing location for the new facility and provide uninterrupted patient services throughout construction. The ambitious site strategy required to maintain patient services, site access and parking on an extremely congested site would be a game of inches.

Due to a decades-long relationship with SMC and a thorough understanding of their facility, c|a architects was asked to partner with the general contractor in a progressive design-build approach to study the complicated logistics and various strategic advantages required to realize the project. With an innovation imperative, the team collaborated to develop a ground-up facility. The tactical, 4-phased solution entailed demolishing a portion of the existing building and enclosing it with a new exterior wall, making way for the construction of the new facility. Once the new 3-story structure was complete, patient services were moved to the new building, and the remainder of the existing building was removed. Among the many challenges during construction was the complex system for re-routing power and site utilities at every step. In the new site design, the Women’s Health Pavilion sits face to face with the original SMC hospital building on a prominent corner of the campus strengthening the key components of clear wayfinding and easy access for patients.

At completion, the expanded women’s services provide comprehensive care for the Laguna Hills community. Women encounter a modern yet feminine aesthetic that reflects comfort and hope through an abundance of sunlight, themes of nature and materials that reflect the familiar tones of the nearby mountains. With a focus on reducing stress, the building layout is organized in a clear and efficient manner supporting both staff operations and the patient journey that is easy to navigate. Careful attention to acoustic treatment ensures privacy and supports a comforting atmosphere for women and their loved ones. From numerous logistical challenges, the c|a architects team realized a sensitive, patient-centered solution.