by Brianna Crandall — November 12, 2010—The pioneering new Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, designed by Reiach and Hall Architects, has won the 2010 Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award, a special category of the British Construction Industry Awards (BCIA). The award is sponsored jointly by two government offices and CABE, the government’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space and an advocate of high-quality design.
The first dedicated ambulatory care and diagnostic facility in Scotland, New Stobhill Hospital opened in May 2009 and is serving around 400,000 patients a year. The hospital reworks the entire way in which healthcare is delivered, says CABE. Medical tests and consultations are carried out on the same day and surgical patients who would normally need an overnight stay are able to go home the same day.
The ethos of “patient first” has governed the hospital’s design, which creates a reassuring, calm environment, explains CABE. Patients and visitors enter a glazed arcade filled with natural light. The building is easy to navigate: the reception is prominent and all departments can be pointed out from it. Vertical circulation is at the centre of the space, with a bold, full-height staircase tower.
Quiet waiting areas overlook larch-clad internal courtyards and artworks are integrated throughout the building. Staff enjoy bright offices and a canteen with a roof terrace commanding views of the Campsie Fells. The simple structure helps the hospital work efficiently, adds CABE. Its steel frame construction with lightweight internal partitioning makes adaptation and extension easy.
For more information about the Better Public Building Award and the 21 shortlisted projects, visit online.
