By HFT Staff

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center announced the expansion of its Texas Medical Center (TMC) campus through two new facilities: Inspiration Tower and Prism.  

Inspiration Tower and Prism will serve as the new front door to UT MD Anderson. Located at the corner of Fannin St. and Holcombe Blvd., the new facilities will account for nearly 2 million square feet for advanced patient care, radiation oncology and diagnostic imaging facilities in the world. Including other ongoing capital projects, the institution’s TMC campus will grow from 16.4 million square feet in 2020 to nearly 22 million square feet by 2032. 

As Texas’ population continues to grow, the demand for cancer care across the state is rising. These facilities are designed to address this need by expanding capacity and introducing new capabilities that will enable safer, smarter and more personalized care. Adaptable infrastructure will allow UT MD Anderson to incorporate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and robotics, throughout the lifecycle of the buildings. The facilities also are thoughtfully designed to incorporate nature, hospitality and art to promote comfort, healing and wellness. 

Inspiration Tower will be UT MD Anderson’s largest and most advanced patient care facility. Anticipated to open in 2032, the 1.4 million-square-foot tower will span 25 floors, making it the largest cancer-focused clinical facility in the nation. 

Inspiration Tower will significantly expand UT MD Anderson’s outpatient capacity. Rather than patients visiting clinics that treat a variety of related cancers, the tower will be defined by disease-specific clinics that deeply integrate with the institution’s research enterprise. 

Patients will be able to take advantage of advanced diagnostic and treatment services and state-of-the-art surgical services, all under one roof. The planned tower will include up to 330 exam rooms, 184 short-stay beds, 162 ambulatory treatment stations, 56 imaging rooms, 24 operating rooms and 38 procedure rooms. 

The tower’s design reflects a hospitality-inspired approach to medicine. Terraced indoor and outdoor spaces will offer room for relaxation, and contemporary art will enhance the experience for patients and their families. On-site parking will be available, and skybridges will connect patients, visitors and employees to neighboring buildings. 

Radiation therapy is part of treatment for about half of all cancer patients. Prism is designed to make that experience more welcoming than current environments. 

Located next door to Inspiration Tower and connected by a skybridge, Prism will be a 292,000-square-foot next-generation hub for radiation oncology and diagnostic imaging, housed within a visually distinct facility marked by a glass façade. 

Scheduled to open in 2030, Prism will serve up to 150,000 patients annually, which will account for nearly half of all linear accelerator activity in the TMC. The facility will include 12 MRI machines, four CT scanners, two PET-CT units, 18 radiation vaults and seven radiation simulators. 

A garden view will offer a purposeful transition from the outside world into treatment spaces and rooftop overlooks. A reflection garden and inspirational art will further support comfort and well-being.