A 4,200msqr 8-Storey high building locates in the southeast corner of Henan People’s Hospital. It used to be ophthalmology clinic for more than 20 years, and then the function turns to health medical center after renovation.
For such a medical building inside a public hospital, we are trying to find a more controlled design solution.(Low-key out looking rather than vivid color or fancy facade). Also based on local standard, only winder-wall system is allowed for hospital building, which restricts the design options to limited directions.
The final design almost kept 90% of the original concrete structure, but reorganized the massing form, and demolished all decorative unites in upper level of the old building. Unloading walls between windows are also deleted, to create a continued horizontal glass facade in each level, and Sever small triangle windows are designed to bulged from it. From street view, they are look like peak pattern of vital sign, which usually appear in those medical testing equipment.
The steel structure beams of south facade and east facade are extended, and connected in southeast street corner. Hence, a new cantilever outdoor platform is created between new facade boundary and old setback corner edge in each floor. Timber decking and potted green plants are also prepared, in order to provide a small leisure space for doctors to rest, to smoke, to chat during their work break.
As the main viewing point of this crossroad, an extra louver system is designed outside the platform. This secondary facade can not only provide more shading areas, but also can be played as big “facade toy”,(every single louver panel can be rotated by hands in platform)which may help doctors to relieve pressure of their stressed work. From street-side perspective, the lover system works as urban scale installation, people will see a totally different pattern every time, when they pass this crossroad.
Credits:
Design Team: Shuli Sun, Wenfeng Feng, Zhiwei Li
Photographer: Suzhi Digital Images