Challenges and Opportunity in Vertical Hospital Design
Figure 1a: Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO (Courtesy of Washington University School of Medicine, wustl.edu)
Vertical healthcare design is an emerging field with its own particular set of benefits and challenges. This building type will become more desirable and popular for reasons including the location of healthcare facilities in urban centers, escalating land values the demand for reimbursable healthcare services, but also because of numerous, little-explored advantages that the high-rise building type offers to providing healthcare services. These advantages can include planning flexibility, security, efficiency as well as improved air quality and reduced noise which can benefit healing.
However, these vertical healthcare buildings with their populations of caregivers and the vulnerable require special sensitivity to the challenging aspects in healthcare design—noise/vibration control, air quality, temperature and airflow, vertical transportation, planning and life safety and security among them.
It's clear that the high-rise healthcare is due for more detailed study and investigation.
Douglas King, AIA, NCARB, CSI, ACHA, Stantec Inc. Chicago, IL, USA, Member Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings, National Fire Protection Association, American Society of Healthcare Engineers, American Institute of Architects – American College of Healthcare Architects
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NBM&CW November 2016
