dana farber yawkey center for cancer care wins acec silver

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SIMON DESIGN ENGINEERING 2011

Y A W K E Y C E N T E R f o r C A N C E R C A R E

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

ACEC 2011 S I M O N D E S I G N E N G I N E E R I N G page 1/2

Internationally known for its clinical excellence and cancer research, Dana-Farber Cancer

Institute (DFCI) is consistently recognized as one of the leading cancer research institutes in the

country. Between 2001 and 2008 alone, annual outpatient visits and infusions at DFCI increased

from approximately 140,000 to more than 264,000 along with clinical trials increasing by nearly

80%. DFCI sought to provide ample, state-of-the-art facilities for leading-edge treatment of

cancer and related diseases for the expanded patient population, and to create an enhanced

healing environment with a strong patient and family centered focus, improved patient safety,

and support for safe staff practices.

Utilizing the last buildable site

on the DFCI Longwood Campus

in Boston, Massachusetts, the

new Yawkey Center for Cancer

Care (YCCC) is a 275,000 square

foot building (198 ft x 186 ft

plan) with seven stories of

below-grade parking and fifteen

above-grade stories. To help

unite the DFCI campus, and to

alleviate pedestrian and vehicular

traffic, the design incorporates

both below and above-grade

connections to the adjacent Smith

Building and the Dana Building

across the street. The facility represents the Institute’s forward-looking vision and according to

Dr. Edward Benz, president of DFCI, “The new YCCC is Dana-Farber’s response to the need

for the best 21st century cancer care and for new modes of clinical research designed to bring

better treatments to patients more quickly and safely.”

Working with the renowned ZGF Architects and Walsh Brothers construction team, Simon

Design Engineering (SDE) provided site engineering master planning and served as Structural

Engineer of Record for the superstructure and foundations. SDE brought over 20 years of

experience on the DFCI campus, including the structural and isolation design of the abutting

Smith Building. Intensive collaboration was demonstrated by the design and construction team,

which ultimately resulted in the project being completed two months ahead of schedule and on

budget.

The logistical challenges of this project were extraordinary. With no lay-down area, the roof of

the mechanical room was designed to provide a construction staging platform, tower crane

support, and earth retention to avert the use of tiebacks at the upper levels. Proximity to the

Medical Area Total Energy Plant (MATEP), which provides electricity, steam and chilled water

to the Longwood area, also presented a host of issues. The low-frequency vibrations produced by

its generators, if left unmitigated, would have a severe impact on DFCI’s sensitive operations.

The solution, isolate the building from the surrounding soil with a three-foot thick reinforced

concrete slurry wall that served as an excavation support system, groundwater cutoff, and a

permanent isolation wall. With no physical connection to the slurry walls that surround the

structure, the YCCC is literally a free-standing 22-story building that begins seven stories below

grade and is supported on isolated piers founded on bedrock.

Fig. A: Site plan showing YCCC isolation slurry walls.



ACEC 2011 S I M O N D E S I G N E N G I N E E R I N G page 2/2

The slurry wall system is similar to the abutting 15 year old Smith Building, but significantly

more complicated; DFCI utilized the same design team as the Smith Building, including GEI

Consultants, Inc. for geotechnical services. The construction of the underground garage required

the excavation and removal of 20,000 tons of soil to a depth of 80 feet beneath Brookline

Avenue and 50 feet below the MATEP.

Supporting the slurry walls are 286 permanent tie back anchors, composed of 140 foot-long

bundles of steel cables (total of 75 miles of cable, weighing 148 tons). To ensure that there was

no uncontrolled soil loss during the tieback installation, a specially designed rig was used to

carefully manage the drilling process that occurred up to 60 feet below the groundwater table.

Computer generated 3D survey technology was utilized to monitor the settlement of the MATEP

during construction to insure its critical equipment incurred no impact.

Due to potential construction related vibrations and noise, the team utilized an innovative hydro-

mill drill rig to cut through the rock at the bottom of the slurry walls, without impacting the

sensitive operations of neighboring facilities. The hydro-mill technology cut the bedrock at a rate

10-15 times faster than traditional methods, saving three weeks on the schedule and preventing

shutdowns due to excessive vibrations.

The superstructure foundations are offset ten feet from the slurry wall to preclude the need to

expose the toe of the wall and reduce overall risk of vibration transmission. In some locations, it

was essential that columns slope inward ten feet from the ground floor to the lower level, while

avoiding large transfer girders at grade. For the deep foundations, SDE developed a vital

“caisson-in-a-can” solution that provided a watertight seal, which allowed for the piers to be

inspected and surrounded with a layer of isolation foam to reduce the transmission of ground

vibrations.

Protection of the public’s health during construction was a key initiative for the team. DFCI

included an emissions control element into the construction management plan. Detailed

specifications regarding standards for the idling of equipment and the reduction of hydrocarbons

were imposed on all subcontractors. The result, the YCCC project became the model for Greater

Boston Breathes Better and the team earned a Merit Award of Excellence from the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizing the incorporation of clean diesel strategies

into the construction management plan. Volatile organic compound (VOC) pollutants were

reduced by 42%, carbon monoxide by 31%, and particle matter by 20%. Nearly 100% of the

site’s waste was recycled.

The project is expected to receive a LEED Silver rating and is a pilot project in the Green Guide

for Healthcare Initiative. A primary goal of this project was to achieve a park-like setting; green

roof gardens with plantings have been incorporated on the roofs of the 4th, 11

th, 12

th, and 14

th

floors and a healing garden is provided as a place of calm for patients, families, and caregivers.

Indoor air quality management plans to mitigate potential air quality hazards were also

implemented and low-emitting adhesives/sealants, paints/coatings and carpet systems were used

to reduce indoor air contaminants.

SDE provides DFCI: Owner’s Agent Services, Conceptual Project Design, Project Programming,

Value Engineering, Management, Parking Consulting, SER, Project Coordination, Material

Evaluation, Quality Assurance, Project Closeout.

RAW EXCAVATION



Raw Excavation:

The view on the opposite side, looking south, has Brookline Avenue (and the

mechanical space/staging area) to the right, the MATEP directly ahead, and the Smith

Building to the left. This image displays the multiple construction operations and

logistical issues that the team had to coordinate on a daily basis; from right to left:

� The reinforced concrete mechanical space roof, supported on steel columns is seen

being used for construction staging and lay-down. To the right of this image is

where the tower crane was located.

� Excavators and dozers inside the hole move soil to the southwest corner to be

lifted up to the mechanical space roof for removal from the site.

� Tieback anchor installation proceeded level by level as the hole was excavated.

The blue rig to the left is installing a P5-Level tieback under the MATEP; in order

to minimize the water pressure and reduce the potential for soil loss, the anchor

was installed from a ten-foot-high bench.

� Behind the plywood wall is the Smith garage. Portions of the Smith slurry walls

were removed to make connections to the YCCC parking levels.

� The man on the scaffolding is cutting a pocket in the Smith slurry wall, which later

supported the YCCC floor beams on slide bearings.

� Just below the scaffolding, the small black circles are the abandoned Smith

tiebacks that were removed in a staged manner as excavation continued.

� Also below the scaffolding is a sump pit used to remove the water that was trapped

in the hole after the slurry walls were complete. The slurry walls, which were toed

into bedrock, acted to cut off any additional groundwater from entering the

excavation. Simon Design Engineering

Photo 1

Photography By: Krystal Layton

TOPPING OFF

Topping Off:

The image on the opposite side, taken during the topping off

ceremony, shows the continuation of the beloved tradition started

during the Smith Building construction. Providing moments of joy to

the pediatric patients, ironworkers spray painted the children’s names

on the steel framing. The patients will forever be a part of the YCCC

with their names emblazoned within the heart of the building; each

name serving as an eternal tribute to the courageous children receiving

cancer treatments, and the important work Dana-Farber will continue

to do in the new Yawkey Center.

The story of the bond between the craftsmen and young patients

became known as “Steeling their Courage.” Initially local, it was not

long before it was featured on ABC’s World News Tonight with host

Charlie Gibson. The following links tell the story:

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/PersonOfWeek/story?id=7024168&page=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17yvwYXEEZ8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87rKU7fg6DA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj4nHmV4DEY&NR=1

At the glass-enclosed stair tower, shown to the left, the names were

left exposed for all to see.

FINAL TOUCHES OF COLOR



Final Touches of Color:

This view of the southwest corner of the building near construction

completion displays one of the many design modifications that were

required due to the constraints of the site. Working closely with the

General Contractor, Simon Design Engineering designed temporary

cantilevers that extended to the service elevators shown (note in the image

to the right, the cantilevers have been removed and the cladding

installation complete). Procured during the escalating construction market

of 2006-2007, contingencies were incorporated into the budget to account

for the potential inflationary effects. Design-assist partners were brought

onto the team early to facilitate, design, and procure key elements of the

project, including the curtainwall. This collaborative team approach

produced a façade consistent with the design vision of a signature building

while staying below budget through a blending of unitized curtainwall and

rain screen design.

Simon Design Engineering Photo 3


Photography By: Krystal


CORNER VIEW

Corner View:

This corner perspective shows the third level, two-story “Healing Garden” which cantilevers out

over the public entrance to the building. The elevated garden space is visible to the public from the

street below and is being finished with materials sensitive to the patients’ health and emotional

needs. The YCCC is designed to provide ample, state-of-the-art facilities for leading-edge treatment

of cancer and related disease, but also focuses on providing an enhanced healing environment with

a strong patient and family centered focus.

This indoor sanctuary overlooking Joslin Park will consist of pathways with garden seating, natural

stone walls, colorful flowers that change seasonally, and a canopy of tall greenery that envelopes

visitors in a lush, serene environment. The healing garden will also contain a 20-by-28-foot glass

conservatory without plants, so immune-compromised patients can enjoy the surrounding elements

free of allergen or health concerns.

"Our patients and families requested a living healing garden, but with a limited outdoor landscape, it wasn't

realistic," says Wendy Gettleman, Dana-Farber's senior director of Planning, Design, and Construction. "So

we did the next best thing and put it inside."

URBAN GREEN



Urban Green:

This image, taken from the YCCC-Smith connector bridge looking down on the fourth

level roof garden adjacent to the Smith Building on the right, is just one of four roof

gardens in the YCCC facility. The roofs at each building setback were utilized for

providing as much green space as possible to achieve a park-like setting. The native

shrubs and other plantings decrease storm water runoff, lower temperatures, improve air

quality, and offer a green vista for onlookers in nearby buildings. This helped with

attaining LEED points, but more importantly helped DFCI meet one if its primary goals

of providing a healing environment by brining nature back into the dense, urban

Longwood Medical Area. On the third floor, a healing garden also provides a place of

calm for patients, families, and caregivers. DFCI incorporated soothing earth tones and

the natural grain of eucalyptus and limestone throughout the building, infusing areas with

floods of natural light and frosted glass speckled with delicate butterflies.

“We’re trying to bring nature back to the site with a landscaped roof with trees and

benches along Brookline Avenue, notes architect Margaret DeBolt and colleague Isabelle

Arnold of ZGF. “It will be a small urban green space.”

Other Earth-friendly options in the works include providing adequate bicycle storage

and showering facilities. With the goal of minimizing patients’ exposure to toxins,

everything from cleansers to refrigerants to construction materials are carefully chosen.

DFCI insists on low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in carpeting

adhesives and chemicals such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) have been eliminated or

reduced from all construction materials.

Simon Design Engineering

Photo 5

Photography by: Krystal Layton

NEW FACE OF DFCI



New Face of DFCI:

This view of the northwest corner of the Yawkey Center for Cancer

Care at the intersection of Brookline Avenue and Jimmy Fund Way

reorients the public face of DFCI to Brookline Avenue, away from the

existing ineffectual entrance on Binney Street. It is the main entrance of

the building and for the first time provides the Dana-Farber Cancer

Institute with a major street presence serving as a signature image with

access from both Brookline Avenue and Jimmy Fund Way. Some of the

many cantilevers, setbacks, and interior atrium spaces of the building

can be seen. The two-story lobby/atrium provides access to the third-

level walkway system that links all of DFCI’s buildings and connects

with Children’s and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals. A tunnel under

the Jimmy Fund Way also connects the YCCC with clinical support

facilities in the Dana Building and facilitates service access between the

Dana Building, YCCC, Smith Laboratories Building, and the upgraded

Smith loading dock.

Simon Design Engineering

Photo 6


dana farber yawkey center for cancer care wins acec silver

Documents

n c e r c

e yc e n t e r

dfci campus

design team

n c e rc

yccc isolation slurry

isolation design

president of dfci