Clinically designed

Artist's impression of The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Colour, light, sound, texture and nature have been intentionally chosen to create tranquil environments, which combats the stress related to those emotions.

The programme also calls for a 360-bed hospital with a patient tower and administrative building, linked by an indoor public gallery. Glass orthogonal forms are stacked on top of each other, in tribute to classical modern architecture.

"The idea was to create a place that fosters interaction and builds a sense of community," says Wu. "[The tower is] a beacon for state-of-the-art healthcare in the Middle East and the village plan suggests the importance of creating a sense of place."

Sense of direction

The theme of navigation is particularly crucial in defining the function of the clinic. "Wayfinding is one of the most environmentally important issues for large-scale healthcare centres," explains Wu.

Coloured hubs assist navigation, and every 100 feet offers an area for social interaction.

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LED lighting is also being considered an additional navigation aid.

Perhaps most importantly, the main hospital building uses 'thin building design'. "From almost every area of any of the given structures, there is a focus on creating transparency through the glass wall," explains Wu. "From the glass public gallery...you can understand where you are by just looking in any direction."

The clinic's design draws heavily on HDR's background in healthcare projects. The company claims to be the top healthcare design firm in the USA and boasts a separate hospital development research department.

"The firm employs a full-time staff of former healthcare practitioners, nurses and healthcare administrators that work together with designers and planners on every hospital project," says Wu.

Lessons from this include the use of environmental effects within the hospital to create a more pleasant environment for staff and patients. "We made a concerted effort to design ‘positive distractions' throughout the hospital to stimulate the five senses," says Wu.

These positive distractions include the use of flowing water and reflective pools to provide soothing white noise and tranquillity throughout the structure. Likewise, green landscaping and natural light is employed to increase productivity and mental alertness.

"The overall design is intended to provide positive distractions, alleviate stress, and to delight one's senses through a variety of different and stimulating experiences," explains Wu.

Respiratory function

As well as creating a more welcoming environment, the clinic's design brief includes elements that will align it with the highest levels of sustainability in a hospital.
 

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