Driver FixRecommendedSound, Wi-Fi or graphics acting up? Check drivers firstFind missing or outdated drivers fast.Check DriversHalloween DealsAmazon USHalloween week deals: useful picks before month-endAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run Scan×
BETTESWORTHConstruction
biophilic design

How Hope Plaza Uses Biophilic Design to Make Cancer Care More Empathetic

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Hope Plaza treats biophilic design as a care-planning strategy rather than a decorative theme. At City of Hope in Duarte, California, the outpatient cancer center links a 1.65-acre healing park, a daylight-oriented building, art and water-inspired public spaces, and carefully detailed treatment rooms. The result is a continuous sequence of choices: places to gather or withdraw, views that orient visitors, sensory cues that make circulation legible, and patient rooms that bring daylight, landscape and art into a clinical setting.

The project accounts describe design intentions and features, not measured health, energy or post-occupancy results. Hope Plaza therefore offers a useful case study in how architects can embed empathy at campus, building, interior and room scales without claiming that a particular feature has produced a quantified clinical outcome.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Project at a glance

Item Reported project detail
Facility Hope Plaza outpatient cancer-treatment center at City of Hope
Location Duarte, California
Size Eight stories and 350,000 gross square feet, as reported by the project accounts
Design team CO Architects in association with EwingCole
Landscape anchor 1.65-acre Ted Schwartz Family Hope & Healing Park
Project accounts Building Design + Construction, December 10, 2025; CO Architects, December 8, 2025

The figures above are project-description figures; the published accounts do not present them as independently audited measurements. Their importance is relational: a large outpatient building is paired with a park and a series of smaller, more personal environments, so the experience of care is not confined to the exam or infusion room.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

What biophilic design means in this cancer-care setting

At Hope Plaza, biophilic design is expressed through contact with living systems and natural processes, but also through the emotional conditions those contacts can support. Landscape, daylight, mountain views, wind, water imagery, planting, texture and changing color are distributed along the route from arrival to treatment. The design does not rely on a single garden or a feature wall to carry the idea. It layers environmental cues so that a person can encounter nature while arriving, waiting, moving between departments or receiving an infusion.

#1 Best Overall
Sale
Nicpro Mechanical Carpenter Pencils for Construction (Black, Red) With Case
  • Valued Carpenter Pencil Set: You will get 2 pcs solid carpenter pencils with 26 piece 2.8 mm refills, 1 replaceable sharpener, 1 plastic storage box.The complete carpenter pencils combination allows you to finish your work faster and more easily
  • Deep Hole Marker Pencil: The deep-hole construction pencils adopts 45mm elongated tip design, which is more convenient to mark in the small hole or in other tight areas that other carpenter markers cannot reach
  • Carpenter Pencils with Sharpener: The sharpener is screwed into the top of the work pencil, which won't get lost either. Built-in pencil sharpener that keep the lead with pointed and smooth to Improves line of sight in fine work
  • Stronger Solid Lead: This work pencil is matched with a 2.8 mm thick lead , which is much thicker and stronger during the drawing process of construction work, it will not break or damage easily
  • Marks on Various Surfaces: 3 colors solid construction pencil can marks on various surfaces,such as metal, plastic, wood, paper etc. Ideals for woodworkers, contractors, craftsmen, builders, merchants and masons

That approach matters in an outpatient cancer center, where patients and families may make repeated visits and where circulation can otherwise feel procedural. A legible sequence can reduce the effort of finding the next destination; a choice between a social setting and a quieter refuge can acknowledge different energy levels; and a view or artwork can provide an alternative focus during an uncertain wait. These are planning decisions that support dignity and agency, even though the project accounts do not report patient surveys or clinical measurements.

Campus scale: a park with both community and refuge

Spaces for gathering

The Ted Schwartz Family Hope & Healing Park extends the care environment beyond the building footprint. Its reported program includes event and sculpture spaces, shade structures, pavilions, outdoor dining and a yoga deck. Those elements allow the landscape to host different kinds of activity: a family can sit together, a group can attend an event, or an individual can pause without entering a clinical interior.

Outdoor dining and pavilions make the park useful during ordinary visits rather than only ceremonial occasions. Shade structures respond to the Southern California climate while creating recognizable destinations within the site. The project account presents these places as opportunities for social connection and respite, not as a prescribed therapy.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Quieter gardens and sensory variety

Rose and Japanese tea gardens introduce distinct planting characters. Their contrast gives visitors more than one landscape language: the rose garden can read as colorful and familiar, while the tea garden suggests a more restrained, contemplative atmosphere. Meditation gardens provide a setting for stillness, and the yoga deck supports gentle movement. Together, these spaces create a range of refuge conditions instead of assuming that every patient wants the same level of activity or stimulation.

Planning for choice is a practical expression of empathy. A patient waiting for an appointment, a caregiver needing a private conversation and a staff member taking a short break may all benefit from different degrees of enclosure, shade and sociability. The accounts describe the facilities and intentions; they do not establish how often each space is used or which option patients prefer.

Rank #2
Sale
DEWALT 20V MAX Drill and Impact Driver (DCK240C2) | Includes 2 Batteries, Charger and Bag (
  • Ergonomically Designed: Work in tight areas with a compact design that gets into tough spots
  • Both tools are designed to fit into difficult to reach spaces
  • Complete a wide range of applications with a high-performance motor that delivers up to 300 UWO, and an impact driver delivering up to 1,400 in-lbs of torque
  • Both the DEWALT impact driver and drill driver feature integrated LED work lights with a convenient 20-second delay, ensuring enhanced visibility in dimly lit or challenging work areas
  • One-Handed Loading - Keep one hand free with a 1/4 in. hex chuck that accepts 1 in. bit tips

Building scale: translating local landforms into arrival and wayfinding

The “boulder in a stream” concept

The building is described as a “boulder in a stream.” That metaphor connects the mass of the eight-story center to the landscape around it and gives the public ground floor a recognizable environmental story. An arroyo and detention ponds carry the erosion idea into the site and entry sequence, turning stormwater infrastructure and grading into visible parts of the design rather than hidden engineering.

Water-related forms can help visitors understand where to go because they establish a continuous ground-plane narrative. In this case, the arroyo and ponds are not presented as a promise of therapeutic water exposure; they are physical and visual references that organize public space and reinforce the building’s relationship to local landforms.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

A protective shell and a transparent north face

The envelope responds differently on each orientation. The south, east and west façades are described as a protective shell that addresses Duarte’s sun. The north façade is more transparent, admitting daylight and opening views toward the San Gabriel Mountains. This arrangement combines environmental response with orientation: a visitor can use the mountain outlook as a visual reference, while the differentiated façades make the building easier to read from inside and outside.

The published descriptions frame the shell as a passive-design move, but they do not provide energy models, measured cooling loads, glare studies or post-occupancy thermal data. It is therefore accurate to say that the envelope is designed to manage solar exposure and bring in northern daylight, not that it has achieved a documented percentage reduction in energy use.

Interior scale: making the route understandable and less institutional

A “one-stop shop” sequence

Hope Plaza is organized as a streamlined “one-stop shop” for outpatient care. The phrase describes a planning objective: patients can access related services within one center rather than repeatedly navigating separate buildings. Consolidating destinations can reduce outdoor transfers and simplify the mental map of a treatment day, particularly for people who return for multiple appointments.

Rank #3
Sale
Push to Unlock,Katerk 6pcs 1/4 inch Hex Shank Aluminum Alloy Screwdriver Bit Holder Light-Weight Quick-Change Extension Bar Keychain Drill Screw Adapter Portable,Black Carabiner,Tool Gifts for Men
  • 【Great Compatibility】This Katerk 1/4 inch hex shank bit holder is specifically designed for 1/4 inch hex shank drill bits. It's compatible with most 1/4 fast hex handles, hex sockets, various electric screwdrivers, and handheld screwdrivers. The bit holder makes it a valuable addition for any handyman.
  • 【Secure and Safe】Built with a secure backup nut design, each drill bit holder securely locks onto your bits, ensuring they stay firmly in place. Additionally, our bit holder incorporates a high-quality steel ball rolling design that holds up to several kilograms of weight, ensuring your various drill bits don't fall off.
  • 【Easy One-Handed Operation】The bit holder for impact driver allows you to change bits single-handedly, simplifying your workflow. Its multi-color design further allows for quick identification of the drill bit you need.
  • 【Compact and Convenient】Thanks to its compact size, this 1/4 inch bit holder is easy to carry around. The bit holder allows for easy attachment to various tools, making this a convenient addition to your construction accessories. The Katerk bit holder is cast from high-quality alloy material, promising a long product lifespan. Despite its rugged strength, the bit holder remains lightweight, making it portable.
  • 【Cool Christmas Gift For Men Stocking Stuffers】 This screwdriver bit holder, driver bit holder, impact bit holder, can be given as a gift to your loved one, especially for anyone involved in construction or electrical work. It's a must-have for stocking stuffers for men and women, tools gifts for dad, tech gadgets for men, gifts for dad, gifts for him, gifts for husband, gifts for boyfriend, cool gadgets for men, and cool gifts for dad.

Legibility is reinforced by the project’s environmental cues. The park, public ground-floor landscape, daylight, mountain orientation and artwork provide landmarks that can be remembered without relying only on signs. This does not eliminate the need for clear signage, accessible routes or staff assistance; it supplements those systems with spatial identity.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Art as a connective layer

Artworks connect otherwise different parts of the journey. In the parking structure, note-like metal panels are designed to move with the wind. Their changing motion introduces a small, visible response to weather at the point where many visitors first encounter the campus.

The “Blossom” mural references nearby Silk Floss Trees, tying an interior-scale artwork to the local landscape. In the fountain area, an “Iris of Hope” sculpture was described by the December 2025 architect account as something that “will soon be placed.” It should therefore be treated as planned at that publication date, not as evidence that the sculpture is installed today.

These works provide varied sensory registers: movement in the wind, botanical color and a sculptural focal point. The goal is not uniform visual calm. Instead, the sequence offers moments that can catch attention, support orientation or give a waiting visitor something outside the medical task to look at.

Room scale: bringing daylight, views and control into treatment spaces

Infusion rooms oriented to the outside

Patient-facing spaces are reported to include daylight and views of the San Gabriel Mountains from infusion rooms. In a treatment room, a view can become a stable reference during a long visit and a way to mark changing time through light and weather. The accounts describe the presence and intent of those views; they do not report how many rooms have an unobstructed outlook, how long patients look outside or whether the arrangement changes clinical outcomes.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #4
Sale
2 Pack Carpenter Pencils Mechanical Pencils with 12 Refills, (2 Colors)
  • Long Nib and Deep Hole Marker: Our mechanical carpenter pencil with 45mm nib is designed for easy marking of deep holes or narrow areas. These construction pencils are the great choice for woodworking tools, construction tools, carpenter tools, contractor tools, wood carpentry tools and architect tools
  • Extra Refills in 2 Colors for Versatile Marking: The construction mechanical pencil comes with 12 extra 2.8mm refills, including 6 red and 6 black refills. The black refill is suitable for light surfaces, while the red wax is perfect for dark surfaces. Our carpenter mechanical pencil makes sure that you'll have an ample supply for extended use
  • Built-in Sharpener: Our construction pencil comes with a built-in sharpener to ensure the mechanical pencil tip is always sharp and ready for use. Never buy an extra pencil sharpener again. A great tool for any woodworker pencil, contractor pencils. The refill can easily be extended or retracted with a simple click of the pencils mechanical, allowing you to work more efficiently and accurately
  • Portable Clip Design: Our deep hole construction pencil features a portable clip design, easy to carry and attach to your pocket or tool box, so that you can keep the carpenter pencils mechanical close at hand, making it a convenient tool to have on the go. Great gifts choice for carpenters
  • Stronger Pencil Lead: The black refills are made of lead, sturdy and smooth. The red refills are made of wax, clear and light. These marking pencils are much thicker and stronger than normal pencils during the marking process of construction work, suitable for various surfaces, such as glasses, metal, boards, floors, walls, furniture, etc. The written marks can be easily wiped with a wet paper towel when needed

Integrated millwork and artwork

Integrated millwork helps organize equipment and supplies while giving rooms a more finished, less improvised appearance. Artwork in waiting and treatment areas adds another layer of identity and can soften the visual dominance of medical equipment. These details matter because empathy is experienced at close range: the edge of a cabinet, the location of a personal item and the object seen while waiting all influence whether a room feels orderly and considered.

Room-level biophilia is consequently less about adding plants everywhere than about combining a useful layout with visual access to daylight, landscape references and art. In a cancer-care setting, infection-control, maintenance and clinical workflow still govern what can be placed in a room. Hope Plaza’s reported strategy works within those constraints by making the fixed elements—windows, millwork, finishes and artwork—carry more of the emotional and sensory work.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

How the scales reinforce one another

Scale Reported design moves Empathetic opportunity What is established
Campus 1.65-acre park, pavilions, shade, gardens, dining, yoga and event areas Choice between social activity and quieter refuge before or after appointments Features and intentions are documented; use patterns and health effects are not
Building and ground floor “Boulder in a stream” concept, arroyo and detention ponds A recognizable landscape narrative and a more legible arrival sequence Concept and site elements are described; wayfinding performance is not measured
Envelope Protective south, east and west shell; transparent north façade Solar protection paired with northern daylight and mountain orientation Design intent is reported; energy and thermal results are not
Interior One-stop organization, artwork, environmental landmarks Fewer fragmented trips and more memorable destinations Planning approach is reported; satisfaction data are not
Patient room Daylight, mountain views, integrated millwork and artwork A more ordered, personal-feeling treatment environment Room features are reported; clinical outcomes are not

The value of the strategy lies in continuity. A mountain view in an infusion room echoes the orientation established at the building scale; the park’s planting and sculpture program prepares visitors to expect nonclinical moments; and the public ground-floor landscape makes the “boulder in a stream” idea tangible before a patient reaches a department.

Designing for empathy without overclaiming results

Project descriptions sometimes invoke “decades of evidence” that nature, art and natural light can support well-being. The Hope Plaza accounts do not identify the underlying studies, provide statistics or report a post-occupancy evaluation. That distinction is essential for responsible project reporting. Designers can explain what they intended to achieve—comfort, orientation, refuge and a sense of welcome—without presenting those intentions as measured outcomes.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Kevin Taylor, vice president of construction, facilities and real estate, is quoted by Ruju Rathod as saying: “People walk into the building and they have a smile on their face.” This is an anecdotal observation, not a patient-outcome measure. Similarly, CO Architects reproduces an email from an unnamed patient’s family member: “We watch the beautiful colors and when it blows in the wind it’s calming and beautiful at the same time…” The comment illustrates how a visitor experienced the moving artwork; it does not establish a general response for all patients.

Best Value
Milwaukee 48-22-3104 Inkzall Point Marker, Fine, Black, 4-Pack
  • Milwaukee Ink all Fine Point Marker, Black, 4 Per Pack
  • 4 per pack Features Clog Resistant Marker Tip Writes through Dusty, Wet and Oily Surfaces Durable Marker Tip for Writing on Concrete, OSB and Rough Surfaces
  • Clog resistant tip writes on dusty, wet and oily surfaces and is optimized for rough surfaces such as OSB, cinderblock and concrete
  • Hard hat clip- attaches for easy access
  • Quick dry time with reduced smearing and marking

Lessons for other healthcare projects

Plan a gradient of refuge

Provide a sequence that includes social rooms, shaded outdoor areas, contemplative gardens and private or semi-private pauses. Choice is more empathetic than a single “healing” setting imposed on every user.

Use local ecological references carefully

A landform, planting type or water-management feature can give a project a strong sense of place. Hope Plaza’s arroyo and detention ponds show how infrastructure can become part of the public experience when it is made visible and intelligible.

Coordinate envelope, views and orientation

Decide where protection from sun is most important and where daylight or views can carry the experience. Document glare, thermal comfort and energy performance separately; a compelling design intention is not a substitute for measured results.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Make art part of circulation, not an afterthought

Locate artworks where visitors naturally slow down or need orientation, and connect their material or imagery to the surrounding landscape. Movement, color and texture can create landmarks without turning every surface into signage.

Carry the strategy into patient rooms

Room layouts should support clinical work while preserving daylight, a meaningful outlook, orderly storage and artwork that can be seen from the bed or infusion chair. Small details are where a broad campus concept becomes a daily patient experience.

What the published accounts do not establish

  • There are no reported patient-satisfaction surveys, clinical outcomes or post-occupancy evaluations for Hope Plaza.
  • No measured energy savings, daylight autonomy, glare results or thermal-performance data are provided for the façade strategy.
  • The frequency of park use, the number of rooms with mountain views and the operational performance of the “one-stop shop” arrangement are not stated.
  • The “Iris of Hope” sculpture was described as forthcoming in December 2025, so its current installation status requires confirmation from City of Hope or the design team.

Those limits do not diminish the project’s usefulness as a design case study. They define what can be learned from it: Hope Plaza demonstrates how empathetic intentions can be organized spatially and expressed through landscape, architecture, interiors and rooms. It does not, on the available documentation, prove a quantified medical or building-performance effect.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.