Hospitality Design - December 2012 - 52

perspectives

trends

healthcare design
Photography by Owen Raggett

Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital Singapore > Novena is fast becoming Singapore’s medical

epicenter, so it’s ing the new hospital complex Mount Elizabeth Novena—specializing in cardiology, orthopedics, and oncology—has made a dramatic arrival. With golden onyx se ing a tone of sophistication at the front door, and local, sustainably harvested teak paying homage to Asian heritage in the lobby, the feeling, says Donald Cremers, senior associate of San Franciscobased HOK, which worked on the architecture and design, is akin to a “sense of luxury one might nd in an upscale hotel or resort. In areas where natural materials were not appropriate, due to twenty four-hour operations and the need for intensive cleaning regimens, highly durable materials are used to give the impression, and honor the spirit of them. Successful hospitality design is achieved through resolving the challenge for creating places where people feel good about themselves, providing them choices, upli ing them, and reassuring them. We see these same a ributes as critical to a well-designed healthcare environment, ultimately reassuring patients and their families they are receiving the best care and a ention available.” To help guide patients, areas such as outpatient clinics and treatment rooms are demarcated by pale es. “The modulation of lighter and darker experiences throughout the building sets this hospital apart from a standard clinical se ing, which is typically uniformly and overly bright,” Cremers adds. Daylight su uses as many spaces as possible in Mount Elizabeth Novena. Perhaps even more of a rarity for Southeast Asia, all rooms are private, with custom furnishings and ings. Singapore’s

Building & Construction Authority also bestowed the hospital with Green Mark Platinum certi cation thanks to features like aerial gardens and photovoltaic technology. “With the increased number of baby boomers seeking regular and acute care, coupled with their relative wealth, a patient customer base has emerged that is more demanding for pleasing, well-designed environments,” Cremers explains. “This demand is compounded by the idea that healthcare is not just about healing the sick, but supporting patients in their daily pursuit of health and wellbeing.”

wood on the reception desk and striking main staircase immediately puts visitors to the Old Town Recovery Center at ease. Local rm SERA Architects had already worked with nonpro t organization Central City Concern on a number of projects in the area, most notably the Richard L. Harris Building, a transitional housing facility boasting an alternative health clinic. For its latest collaboration with CCC, SERA was tasked with designing an integrated primary and behavioral health clinic catering to homeless, uninsured, and Medicaid patients su ering from physical conditions, mental illness, and addictions related to substance abuse. “Our aim was for a non-institutional character, warm and inviting, but primarily upli ing and inspiring; one that o ers a sense of dignity and respect,” says Paul Je reys, associate principal and senior designer at SERA. In the Living Room, patients are encouraged to socialize in the lounge and open kitchen; sta take breaks on a large roof deck. The sustainable-minded rm also added a number of signi cant green elements to Old Town—highperformance lighting, enhanced indoor air quality—that has garnered the building LEED Gold status.
Photography by Michael Mathers

Old Town Recovery Center Portland, Oregon > Light, sla ed maple

Further, SERA embraced a biophilic approach, with a fully glazed central courtyard landscaped with rocks and bamboo as the design centerpiece. Not only does it orient patients “so they aren’t lost in a labyrinth of rooms and corridors,” but Je reys notes it is Old Town’s “oasis and place of calm.” From anywhere in the building, views of either the courtyard and its three-story vegetated walls or outdoor trees can be glimpsed. Wrapping around the courtyard are informal sub-waiting areas, where patients unwind a er checking in. “I think healthcare providers and designers are nally seeing buildings from the user point of view, which the hospitality market has been doing forever. The whole sequential experience, from entry to treatment to departure, is nally being considered,” says Je reys. “Healthcare design is still playing catch up and somewhat stuck at the ‘atrium lobby’ big design statement, but I think many are now thinking more holistically.”

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December 2012 hospitalitydesign.com
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - December 2012
