Our brief was to create a state-of-the-art hospital which rationalised services under one roof, simplified patient and staff journeys, and created synergies through new clinical adjacencies. The building replaces a much-loved but impractical collection of buildings accrued over Papworth’s first 100 years. A bold and iconic structure was required to create a new visual identity for the hospital and equip it to face the challenges of 21st-century healthcare.
The new 38,000 sq m hospital, which opened in May of 2019, is set in landscaped parklands and consists of a white stone precast base crowned with an elliptical glass structure, its mirrored expanse reflecting the wide skies of the Fenlands countryside. Outpatient and emergency wards are housed on the ground floor, inpatient wards in the upper. This change in materiality was important: Floor-to-ceiling glazing gives in-patients and staff a sense of lightness, and facilitates therapeutic views of the landscaped surrounds. Externally, this strikingly reflective shape acts as a beacon, drawing the eye from a distance.
The layout of the new hospital promotes the Trust’s model of care by creating separate zones for ambulatory or outpatient care, emergency services and diagnostic and treatment functions. The clear separation of these areas, together with generous use of natural light, creates an environment that is easy to navigate, streamlines admissions and allows for efficient patient transfers. The hospital can also accommodate future growth of up to 11,000 sq m.
HOK balanced building orientation, an efficient building fabric and services design to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating for the hospital.
All the information about how to enter the 2020 WAN Awards is here.
We are very happy to offer support so please don’t hesitate to email Georgia, WAN Awards Event Coordinator with any questions at Georgia.Baily@haymarket.com.
Last year more than 40 countries took part in the WAN Awards with strong showings from Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. And we saw some truly outstanding projects, take a look at the winners from last year here.