Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and Movement Disorders Clinic

The project was a renovation and expansion of an existing space. The scope of the work was 26,865 square feet, including a shell build out of 16,290 square feet and renovation of 10,575 square feet. The number of consultation rooms was increased from 8 to 30, and a new gait and balance room was created, along with a larger rehabilitation gym to provide more area for patient therapy.

As a National Parkinson Foundation Center for Excellence, the center needed to function as a clinical treatment facility for patients with Parkinson’s disease, but also perform important outreach for those who are unable to travel to receive treatment.

The core design challenge was to customize every aspect for a specific patient population, those with Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, and enable the staff to provide services properly. Functionality and patient comfort were of paramount importance. For occupational therapy activities, for example, wider corridors were added, plus an area with a kitchen and bath, to help enable patients to learn therapy methods that they can apply at home. A state-of-the-art conference facility also was constructed, with furniture geared for those with a movement disorder.

Even the applied finishes took into account the unique medical needs of Parkinson’s patients. Natural wood was selected for a more comfortable, less clinical, feel. Light wells were installed at the intersection of corridors, to soften the space. The flooring material was chosen to minimize glare and enable patients to easily see different colors.

The result is a bright, well-lit and uplifting space that serves the needs of patients with Parkinson’s disease. It is funded entirely from donations and fundraising events such as Celebrity Fight Night. Muhammad Ali and his wife, Lonnie, were involved from the beginning, so the bar was raised especially high in all aspects, and the project was approached with a strong sense of social responsibility.