Patients with end-stage kidney disease must undergo dialysis multiple times a week for several hours at a time to manage their disease and maintain quality of life. Access to local dialysis centers reduces the burden of this treatment, which is why the new Panther Lake Clinic is such an important fixture of its neighborhood. Totaling 9,473 SF, the clinic includes 11 dialysis stations which accommodate up to 66 patients weekly from the surrounding south King County region, as well as dedicated training spaces for home dialysis patients and educational space for community health classes supporting the health, quality of life, and independence of those with kidney disease.

The clinic’s design focuses on patient comfort, from the exposed timber canopy at the entrance that welcomes in visitors to the ample daylighting in treatment spaces. PCS worked with the truss manufacturer to coordinate special details for long span roof trusses that minimized the number of columns in the interior space, creating an open and flexible interior layout. The dropped ceiling in the treatment areas features varying slopes to create visual interest, but posed a logistical challenge for the design team. PCS coordinated closely with the architect and mechanical engineer to fit all of the mechanical equipment between the trusses and the dropped ceiling’s changing slopes.

The clinic’s sustainability features include a roof and lateral system that are designed to accommodate future solar power improvements. Beautiful outdoor views throughout the building are showcased by tall, wide windows that capitalize on natural light and create a calming and peaceful atmosphere. PCS provided a structural system that minimized the amount of vertical support and shearwalls in the building, allowing the design to achieve the numerous large windows.

Using progressive design-build delivery, the project required the team to collaboratively overcome several challenges on the road to completion. A long permitting process delayed construction by 11 months, but the team’s constant communication as timelines changed helped mitigate project cost escalation, and even allowed construction materials with long lead times to be ordered and ready to go well in advance of construction.

Photo credit: Art Ross