RIAI | Irish Architecture Awards

Citation

Architect’s Comments

The new 20,000 m2 clinical building, which is the centrepiece of the St. Vincent’s University Hospital Redevelopment, is located to the north of, and connected to, the existing main hospital block on the Elm Park hospital campus.

The principle elements of the building are eight new operating theatres, a theatre sterile services unit, intensive care unit, pathology laboratories, radiology and diagnostic imaging services, ambulatory day care centre with two day theatres, consulting rooms and a new accident and emergency department.  Support facilities include a patient education unit, coffee docks, shops, conferencing accommodation, outdoor landscaped courtyard and a 140 space basement car park. The building links to the existing hospital on each floor by means of two spinal links

The key challenge in the design of the building was to move away from the traditional institutional approach to hospital design and create an environment that is dignified and appropriate to the level of service provided.

The central atrium around which all the accommodation is planned is a light filled oasis of calm.  Way finding in the building is clear and unambiguous avoiding long internal corridors for patients and visitors.

The facades express the planning grid of the building and at the same time mediate between the need for durable finishes and the softer more human finishes at ground level.

Clients Comments

The main clinical building recently completed on our campus has been designed to accommodate the renewal of all the major treatment and diagnostic areas of the hospital. A new Ambulatory Day Care Centre is also provided which will enable us to provide a “one stop shop", same day service to our patients.

The architect was challenged in the brief not only to take into consideration the specific requirements of such a hi-tech clinical building, but also to meet the Health & Safety and Infection Control requirements for both patients and staff.  We also asked for a building which did not have the appearance inwardly and externally of an institutional facility. Particular attention was to be given to providing as much natural light as possible and a high degree of visual observation.

The architects have successfully met the criteria set down by our user groups and they have done this with a very imaginative design solution.

Technically, the building employs total integrated BMS and ITC systems, which include PACS (Photo Archiving Computer System), RIS (Radiology Information System) and HIS (Hospital Information System), all with pathway access into existing hospital wide systems.  A complex pneumatic tube communications system connects all departments.

The feedback from our user groups and those staff who will occupy the building has been very positive with regards to providing an environment, which will contribute to improving the standard of care for our patients.