Just Listen

“Listen, my children, and you shall hear…”

This week I had the distinct privilege of speaking with some of the region’s leading oncologists while touring two newly completed cancers centers, designed by TRO Jung|Brannen, at both Newton-Wellesley Hospital and South Shore Hospital.

At the dedication of the former yesterday evening I met Dr. James Vernon, for whom the cancer center is named. He spoke to me of his tremendous pride in the new facility and the empathetic connection he felt throughout the design process with our team. “They really listened to our input,” he told me, “and helped us create something inspiring!”

The previous day I had toured the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center at South Shore Hospital, scheduled to open on October 5. The center’s Director, Dr. David Rudolph, led a tour for business leaders from the south shore region and I tagged along. Stopping near the chemotherapy area, he remarked “this beautiful patient lounge was not in our original program, but our architect, Scott Mueller, told us of several conversations he’d had with our patient focus group. They convinced him that such a space would contribute significantly to their healing, both emotionally and physically. He urged me to include it, and here is the wonderful result!”

As designers, we should listen more and talk less. The results will speak for themselves.