Center for radiotherapy and oncology
The center for radiotherapy and oncology was built on behalf of the VU Medical Center and the Westfriesgasthuis. On the first floor, Esperanz, a collaboration between Dijklander Hospital and Zaans Medical Center, has an oncology outpatient clinic. On the ground floor, the radiotherapy center of the VUmc is located, with a central reception, waiting area, and three treatment rooms. More than a thousand people will be treated here annually.
Old acquaintance
Gortemaker Algra Feenstra is an old acquaintance in Hoorn: “We have been involved with Dijklander Hospital since 1995,” says architect Hans Liscaljet. “Every ten years, Dijklander Hospital assesses the state of healthcare in the Netherlands. We are working on a phased expansion: phase 1 was the merger of the two different locations of Dijklander Hospital, phase 2 will be completed in 2012, and all patient facilities will be included in the new building.”
Exterior as the interior
Gortemaker Algra Feenstra was responsible for both the exterior and the interior of the new center. The radiation equipment in the center is so large and heavy that the spaces are essentially built around it. One of the challenges in the design was the above-ground radiation rooms. Typically, such rooms are located underground. However, because people generally do not feel comfortable with the idea of going to a basement for their treatment, above-ground spaces were chosen here.
