B+H Architects has been selected as the winner of an international competition to design the new Shenzhen Children’s Hospital and Science and Education Building, in joint venture with East China Architectural Design & Research Institute (ECADI).
The existing Shenzhen Children’s Hospital has been a landmark in the Futian area of Shenzhen since it was established in 1998. The new building, located to the west of the existing campus, creates a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ healthcare facility to deliver top-quality care for children, and provide a new home for advanced research and learning in paediatric medicine.
“Children live very much in the present and can experience each moment very intensely – sights, sounds, scale, touch, colours and patterns hold delights and surprises that we as adults often overlook,” says Stephanie Costelloe, Principal and Director of Healthcare, Asia. ” We wanted to instil a sense of wonder in every corner which would celebrate their unique and joyful view of the world – whilst also encouraging adults to interact with the environment in a similarly social, playful and collaborative way.”
Taking inspiration from the mountains in the distance, the new building adopts a gently terracing approach with the upper floors stepping back to create multiple sky gardens.
On the ground floor, an “urban living room” connects the hospital to the surrounding community, playing host to public spaces and activities for patients, visitors and those passing by.
One key element of the new design is the introduction of the vertical ‘secret garden’ intended to enthrall young eyes and provide a welcome distraction to patients and their families during the healing process.
“Our vision is to ensure that the building’s occupants not only fully engage with the surrounding natural landscape, but that we create a unique micro-landscape within and around the building, from ground floor to rooftop gardens,” says Costelloe.
The building design also celebrates the ground-breaking clinical, science, and research activities that will happen within, as well as a cluster of social and interaction spaces for staff at the northeast corner that creates a ‘social window’ connecting to the park.
Collaboration is prioritized between clinical staff, researchers, and students. Research is placed on the same floors as inpatient wards, providing proximity to patients with a ‘lab bench to bedside’ approach. At the junction of the ward and research zones, a ‘collaboration zone’ is located which houses formal and informal education and social spaces for staff to mingle, share, and learn together.
Vertical connections are streamlined and ensure smooth operations with a high volume outpatient clinics placed at the lower floors to reduce lift traffic, while staff living spaces are located on the upper floors.