ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
of materials as part of the offsite manufacturing process.
For the National Rehabilitation Centre, a range of external façade typologies was considered and evaluated against criteria including cost, percentage of MMC, embodied carbon content, reaction to fire, airtightness, and speed of construction.
to the façade, the team has developed the MEP design and procurement strategy to allow for the exploitation of offsite prefabrication of repetitive services elements and assemblies. This approach drives productivity and programme improvements during construction.
Summary To maximise the success of MMC, it is critical to get all decision-makers on board from an early stage, and ensure that key decisions are made at the appropriate milestones. This often requires a shift from a traditional mindset, where a protracted, linear approach to procurement and supply chain engagement and late design freeze are often the norm. While the façade design of NRC has been able to develop to embrace effective MMC solutions, retrofitting an MMC strategy to a predeveloped design that had detailed planning approval has presented challenges. To realise the full potential of MMC it must be considered from first principles, ideally with the engagement of supply chain partners – as was the case at DGRI – and a shared understanding that some critical decisions need to be made early, whilst allowing room for flexibility. Without the ability to engage supply chain partners, the challenge and underlying approach is that of Whipps Cross – to consciously design in opportunity, and guard against designing MMC opportunity out.
Need for collaboration At the heart of a factory-to-frame approach there must be a commitment to
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collaborative project working – embracing digital technology to move seamlessly from concept to construction, reducing risk, and optimising cost and programme. A collaborative, workshop approach will help define a clear strategy, while taking the whole team on that journey. A standardised platform approach will enable the delivery of better care, a better experience for patients, and a better environment for staff to provide care in. The approach provides an efficient and functional framework, with flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing healthcare needs in the future. The standardised platform must integrate key structural and building services engineering principles to design in flexibility for a range of MMC delivery options. To deliver on NZC targets, the MMC
strategy needs to dovetail with both the overarching NZC strategy and the detail that supports that. A commitment to NZC must inform the design from first principles. In analysing initial typologies we need to consider the form factor in terms of environmental performance, and also in terms of complexity and suitability to support an effective MMC strategy. This combined approach to NZC and MMC needs to continue as the design develops, for example in an assessment of embodied carbon in structural frame options, and the optimisation of grid dimensions. Early resolution of the design and its pre-manufactured components and assemblies can offer opportunities for early accurate prediction of embodied carbon by establishing the provenance
To maximise the success of MMC, it is critical to get all decision-makers on board from an early stage, and ensure that key decisions are made at the appropriate milestones
Opportunities and barriers In the context of a complex large- scale hospital build programme, there are significant opportunities, but also significant challenges and barriers. As designers and integrated project teams we need to collaborate to provide support in navigating these challenges to ensure that we maximise the value that MMC will bring to the individual projects, as well as achieving the long-term government ambitions to create a mature, robust, and highly efficient, MMC sector to serve healthcare and wider infrastructure investment.
References 1 Reinvention for an Exceptional Construction Industry. Ryder Architecture, June 2018.
https://tinyurl.com/4xmkuba5
2 Intelligent Hospital Design Principles. Hoare Lee, WSP, bimacademy, Ryder Architecture, Barts Health NHS Trust, June 2021.
https://tinyurl.com/muyh6cyp
Paul Bell
Paul Bell, a Partner at Ryder Architecture, completed his architectural education at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow, in 1992, and has led several high-profile urban design, health, and infrastructure projects. In 2006 he established Ryder’s Glasgow office, and led the early development of the Hong Kong office. Prior to joining Ryder, he worked with Terry Farrell for 11 years in London and Hong Kong. Paul has spoken around the world on sustainable healthcare design and blurring the boundaries of healthcare to address health equity. He brings his expertise of leading integrated project teams to successfully deliver major healthcare projects. His passion for delivering design of the highest quality is recognised by excellent client testimonials and project award nominations.
February 2023 Health Estate Journal 65
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