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Award-winning City Hospital focuses on carers and families as well as patients

Healthcare design often single-mindedly focuses on the comfort of patients – entirely forgetting the distraught families, friends and carers that surround them. But when Ellerbe Becket was called in to design The City Hospital, the first multi-disciplinary healthcare provider in Dubai Healthcare City, it decided to address this discrepancy.

As a result, the sixth floor of the hospital features a fully-enclosed health club, work-out area and health and beauty facility that offers hair styling, make up and massage therapies. A pool area has been designed to offer a relaxed leisure setting, with a hot tub and plunge pool at each end.

“Major focus was placed on providing amenities and services for both the patient and their families. The family is often a key part of the care-giving support in this region and there is often inadequate attention paid to their needs and interests,” explained Jim Lewison, interior design director, Ellerbe Becket, Minneapolis.

“The health club, for instance, was provided as much for the patient’s family as it was for the patient themselves.”

These facilities also highlight how healthcare design is increasingly calling upon hospitality design for inspiration. With The City Hospital, the aim was to create a unique, top-end facility, with finishes, materials and retail and F&B facilities to rival a five-star resort.

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The 353,900ft² hospital was designed to appeal to international patients, as well as UAE locals who might otherwise travel to the UK or US for their healthcare. As such, the design had to blend local and international design elements. In response, the exterior was infused with regional character to provide the project with context, and cultural and historical relevance.

“The interior design is more contemporary and international in style. This communicates to the client that the healthcare provided will be world-class and will include all the latest technologies and practices,” said Lewison.

Ensuring that the project was culturally sensitive called for extensive research, as well as workshops with the owner and close communication with in-house staff of a similar cultural background.

“One challenge was finding the correct balance between culturally sensitive design while reflecting the more progressive and forward-looking attitude of Dubai, as opposed to some other parts of the Gulf region.

“We had to avoid clichéd or inappropriate Middle Eastern or Islamic design elements. These have been used by architects and designers from the West in an attempt to dress up projects in local design motifs. Too many bad examples of this awkward application have been done in the recent past in the Gulf region.”

The effectiveness of the end result was recognised at the first-ever Hospital Build Awards Middle East, where The City Hospital won the Best Interior Design accolade.

The hospital, which is operated by EHL Management Services, was heralded for ‘providing an outstanding therapeutic space that enhances the overall experience of patients, staff and visitors through an innovative and considered approach to interior design’.

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