JRS Architect, P.C. designs Lake Success facility for most powerful MRI device in tri-state region

JRS Architect, P.C. has designed a facility in Lake Success to house one of the world's most-powerful magnetic resonance imaging devices - the first of its kind in the tri-state area. The recently completed facility, part of 14,300 s/f of new offices for Neurological Associates of Long Island, P.C. at 1991 Marcus Ave., houses a powerful Hitachi Oasis Open MRI as well as a slightly less powerful Hitachi Echelon MRI. JRS, with offices in Mineola, New York City and Princeton, N.J. is one of the nation's leading designers of healthcare facilities and has been designing imaging facilities since 1990. The Oasis space at Neurological Associates is unusual in that it has outside windows, something that architects at the firm, led by senior vice president Alex Hadjiyane, believed would help put patients undergoing exams in the space at ease. Similarly, the architects designed a back lighted, floor-to-ceiling photograph of a woodland scene for the Echelon exam space. "They help to calm and soothe the patients," said Hadjiyane. Coordinating with the manufacturer, physicists, structural engineers and contractors, JRS designed spaces that provide not only comforting environments for patients undergoing MRI examinations, but also protect the spaces from outside electrical interference and keep patients and staff in the office and other tenants in the building safe from RF emissions from the MRI devices. The two, 20,000-pound machines presented additional concerns, because they would be located on the floor that sits atop the building's parking garage and, therefore required extra support. Steel beams, however, were ruled out, because their iron content could interfere with the magnets. The proposed solution, aluminum beams, needed approvals from Albany because local building officials were unsure if they could meet code, according to Hadjiyane. The architects also had to design thicker walls so that steel-plate shielding could be put into place to prevent seepage of the machine's emissions. Physicists align the magnets to prevent the shielding from interfering with the magnets. The outside windows also were manufactured to specifications that prevent interference and seepage. As part of the project, JRS also was asked to design space for two additional distinct elements of the eight-physician practice - doctor's offices and examination rooms and a physical therapy space. Hadjiyane and his team aimed to keep the three elements unified and maintain a flow of the space. The puzzle was complicated by a large number of columns in the raw space that the practice would occupy, Hadjiyane added. Visitors to the practice enter a spacious waiting room, which like the rest of the space, is decorated in tone-on-tone sandstone vinyl wall coverings. A large reception desk, largely blond wood, sets off the main waiting area and curves toward the office's business area. Space is used efficiently with additional offices lining the corridor leading to the MRI and physical therapy areas. Colorful lithographs of the paintings by modern artists, such as Jasper Johns, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollack, Piet Mondrian and others, brighten the space. "That's why the offices are soft and muted," said interior design Karen McGuinness. "The result is an environment that is warm, friendly and welcoming," said Hadjiyane. The client agreed. "Their design ideas were functional and imaginative," said Dr. Jeffrey Kessler, a principal of Neurological Associates. "We love the office." Kessler added, "They were responsive, creative, imaginative and just nice people, in addition to being very professional." JRS ranks among the nation's 40 largest healthcare design giants in annual surveys conducted over the past four years by Reed Business Information's Interior Design magazine. JRS, which has designed two other medical practices in the Lake Success building that houses Neurological Associates, also recently designed numerous testing facilities in NYC and Long Island for Laboratory Corp. of America, facilities in Manhattan for Jenny Craig Inc., and the new Great South Bay, LLC medical office facility in Islip. JRS also is working on a facility at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC.