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DRAWING BOARD


A high-performance façade will cut down on heat gain at state-of-the-art hospital


By Marcy Marro, Managing Editor


Known for providing the highest level of spe- cialized health care in an integrated education and research setting, the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is one of the Middle East’s leading medi- cal institutions.


Led by the Boston offi ce of the internationally


ranked fi rm of Cannon Design, the hospital’s expan- sion program evolves the medical center’s image, expressing its vibrant future, and cutting-edge clini- cal care and research practices. The project consists of an institutional master plan and design of four landmark buildings featuring a world-class healing environment that provides technologically advanced medical care for patients, and a collaborative work- ing environment for medical staff. A rigorous understanding of the local culture


and climate was required for the project. To combat the region’s high temperatures, Cannon Design con- ceptualized a patterned glass façade that provides subtle transparency and modernity. Working with Germany-based OKALUX GmbH, a glass company specializing in façade glazing techniques, the team engineered a glass panel with integrated metal louvers that will control daylighting and cut down on heat gain. The façade is made up of three glass pan- els: clear glass with a high-performance coating,


12 METAL ARCHITECTURE July 2012 www.metalarchitecture.com


High-Tech Façade


horizontal louvered glass and a shadowbox with a back-painted aluminum metal panel, which repeats throughout the design. The louvered glass panel is engineered with the horizontal integrated sun-con- trolled louvers made of polished steel. The design defuses daylight and reduces glare while maintain- ing a semi-transparent screen. “The design is rooted in evidence-based


research. Natural light, external views and green spaces are incorporated while maintaining privacy,” says Design Principal, Richard Kuhn, AIA. “We cre- ated collaborative spaces—formal and informal—to foster interaction, exchange knowledge and create a sense of place.” All four buildings—the King Abdullah Center


for Cancer and Liver Diseases, the National Bio- technology Center, the Royal Wing, and the EMS and Polyclinic Building—will feature this façade. The 904,000-square-foot, 300-bed Center for Cancer and Liver Disease features inpatient nursing units, ambulatory clinics, diagnostic, support and techni- cal services. The 430,000-square-foot biotechnology center will be comprised of a biotechnology research facility, allied health training unit, multistory park- ing, and a new gate and access road network. The 135,000-square-foot, four-story Royal Wing will have its own helipad, access road and evacuation tun- nel, and is linked at the ground fl oor to the existing hospital for instant access to the emergency depart- ment, VIP outpatient clinics and medical imaging. A new block connected to the existing hospital on all levels will include an emergency department, poly- clinics, family health clinics, lobby, visitor’s center, retail shops, technical/support facilities and helipad. Finally, a powerhouse and service tunnel system will include a 194,000-square-foot powerhouse facility and 5,900 feet of tunnels to contain service utility systems. The project will also feature underground


parking for 5,000 cars with convenient access to all medical and research centers. High-performance design reaches beyond the


building envelope, into the project’s infrastructure and landscape design. Water will be recycled for irrigation, and lightwells and sunken courtyards have been incorporated into the underground parking structure to bring in natural light and ventilation. “Designing a project of this magnitude required solutions that balanced a rigorous understanding of the local culture with the harsh climate of Saudi Ara- bia,” says Andre M. Aoun, AIA, project principal with Cannon Design. “The image of the new complex needed to express elegantly the cutting edge quality of care and education taking place at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. The use of steel and glass were essential elements to our design approach and to achieving this goal.” Construction began on the King Abdullah Center


for Cancer and Liver Disease Center in spring 2011, and is expected to be complete at the end of 2013. Construction has also begun on the Royal Wing and EMS and Polyclinic Building, and will be completed by the end of 2014. Phase three, consisting of the National Biotechnology Center, is yet to be awarded to a contractor. The project was presented with the award for


Best Hospital Design (Future) at the 2012 Hospital Build & Infrastructure conference in Dubai.


King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Architect: Cannon Design, Boston Associate architect: Dar Al Riyadh, Riyadh General contractor: Al Bawani Co. Ltd., Riyadh


Façade: OKALUX GmbH, Marktheidenfeld, Germany, www.okalux.de, Circle #40


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