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Flexibility

Society is changing rapidly, and the healthcare sector even faster. Building for the healthcare sector means looking as far as possible into the future. But isn’t a building’s lifespan far too long for that? Dutch Hospital Design considers uncertainty about the future as our only certainty.

But what to build when nothing stays the same? However, not everything changes. The physical needs and possibilities of people have remained the same for thousands of years. As one of the most important aspects of sustainability, flexibility must be the answer based on smart solutions combined with design principles based on the primary needs of human beings, such as natural daylight, orientation and safety. Dutch Hospital Design sees making future scenarios as the way to prepare for uncertainty.

Flexibility in design

Scenarios translate the impact of trends in society, the medical profession and technology into requirements for alterations to a building in the future. The building should meet different demands in terms of initial flexibility, flexibility of the design during the building process, flexibility to change the function of parts of the building during its lifespan, and flexibility to extend or reduce the size of the building. Then we translate flexibility into integrated technical and smart solutions such as floors, facades and industrial prefabricated partition walls.

Structures

It is self-evident that structures must be safe. Structures must be sufficient over their expected lifespan. Our design philosophy is to detail buildings that are resilient enough to withstand calamities and guarantee the safety of their occupants without the need for heavy and expensive structures.

Structural design

Experience teaches us that every twenty years a hospital needs a complete renovation of its architecture and installation technology. However, the load-bearing structure is expected to survive a full fifty years and outlive various renovations. It is therefore vital to make choices with designers from other disciplines so that the building can withstand future alterations. The prevention of new construction is a very sustainable measure.

As structural designers, we want the structure to do more than just support. Integrating the structure with installations, for example, and ensure easy access to them, is an efficient solution for a more constant climate and a lower building height.

Contact: Roel de Jong, structural designer

Read more about supporting disciplines and our partners >

Healing Environment

Reducing stress by embracing daylight and introducing vistas to the surrounding landscapes, in which nature plays a significant role, has a positive influence on the recovery of patients.

Healing environment design

Nature is healthy. Everybody enjoys a stroll through greenery now and again. Research has shown that not only being in nature, but also looking at nature benefits our health. We take that into consideration in the siting of a building. The relationship between inside and outside frames particular views, determines how much daylight penetrates the building and defines how much visual contact there is between the building and its surroundings and the people engaged in activities outdoors.

These views of beautifully designed outdoor spaces invite use, encourage people outside, and stimulate a desire to be outdoors. Then the building itself. Orientation in a hospital is often difficult, especially in a large building. As an example, uncertainly about which route to follow creates stress and lowers one’s ability to absorb the words of the doctor. But what is even more important is to design a good environment for staff to work pleasantly, so that they can concentrate their efforts on the wellbeing of patients.

Dutch Hospital Design offers the possibility to use a Healing Environment design chart, that helps to discuss and analyze all aspects of designing a healing environment.

Supporting disciplines and partners

Designing a hospital is a complex process in which complex decisions have to be taken. To consider all aspects before taking a decision at the highest level, one needs advice from several additional specialists.

DHD can provide the right specialists in the areas of Facility Management, Healing Environment Consultancy, Medical Equipment, ICT, Change Management, Cost Management, Financial Consultancy and so on. DHD cooperates intensively with a range of specialists working in the field of hospital organization and hospital design.