Gensler created a unique space for the Bill Richards Center for Healing that is safe, supportive, and biophilic with a high sense of natural materiality in Rockville, Maryland.

Cancer patients are faced with adversities from the moment of diagnosis. So much care is dedicated to the physical treatment of malignancy that emotional and psychological needs are often untreated by medical professionals. Addressing this deficit within the medical environment, the Bill Richards Center for Healing at Aquilino Cancer Center has created a unique program specifically designed to address the emotional and psychological needs of cancer patients. Through new group therapies and innovative clinical trials using psilocybin to treat psychological distress, oncology professionals are adventuring to new heights in search of what’s next in cancer care, research, and patient healing.

Working creatively to address the needs of each individual going through treatment, the plan was organized to support program flexibility. The patient experience was designed to create the ideal setting for guided spiritual journeys. Treatment rooms are designed to create a comfortable yet controlled environment, with soft furnishings and lighting controls to support both traditional talk-therapy and guided psilocybin treatments. The space also supports multipurpose use of the public areas for group therapy, educational sessions, and yoga classes. Innovative solutions were designed to conceal storage and technology for these ancillary functions, maintaining the tranquility of the space.

Design: Gensler
Photography: Halkin Mason Photography