"In the design process, we asked what could we put in front of people that they can touch, feel, and see," says Turan Duda, principal of Duda/ Paine Architects, noting the firm's tactic of providing "positive distractions." An example is the oak front desk, which has a hand-carved, chiseled surface that patients often rub their hands over while checking in, according to Duda.

The center was one of four medical facilities that recently received AIA National Healthcare Design Awards from the American Institute of Architects.

Located in Durham, North Carolina, west of Duke University's West Campus and Medical Campus, the Duke IM building reflects the influences of two contrasting planning strategies — the formal order of West Campus, with its strong axes and clearly defined paths, and the informality of Duke Gardens, a collection of meandering paths and unexpected vistas.

The dramatic colonnade of the Duke IM entrance loggia features exposed wood beams and columns that play off the gothic vernacular of West Campus. The inner courtyard is a bench-lined hall facing a water feature and bamboo garden, and a nutrition center/ cafeteria opens onto a large covered patio bordered by gardens and forest.   >>>