ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
Edward Williams
Edward Williams is a founding director of Cagni Williams, and is involved with all projects throughout their life in the studio. Active in the profession, he enjoys sitting on competition review boards, being a visiting architectural critic, lecturing on architecture and urbanism, and writing widely on the topics of architecture, sustainability, and architectural practice. Edward is a committed
champion for better buildings, communities, and the environment, through his involvement with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the British Architectural Library Trust (BALT), a New York charity. Over the course of his
30-year career he says he has worked ‘on some of the most innovative architectural landmarks in the UK and the US’, including the Macmillan Cancer Centre and Proton Beam Therapy Centre for UCLH in London. Before founding Cagni Williams he was an equity partner at Hopkins for 20 years.
Top: The project was designed around the concept of a new approach to healthcare through wellbeing for both patients and the staff. Above right: MMUH’s green spaces serve as shared community assets, making the hospital ‘a welcoming and inspiring destination beyond healthcare needs.’ Above left: Cagni Williams said: “With the development of the inclusive masterplan on the 17-acre site, we encouraged and created permeability into and through the site and along the existing canal arm.”
plots were identified and located so that these could be developed without affecting the main hospital activities. The £15 m Towns Fund grant from Sandwell has further supported this vision, funding a new Learning Centre on one of the development plots, where healthcare education and career development initiatives will benefit both the hospital and the wider region. These efforts are part of a broader regeneration plan – the Sandwell Corridor, ensuring that MMUH positively impacts not just its patients, but the entire community.
Site-related challenges and architectural solutions Transforming this historical industrial site into a cutting-edge hospital presented its own challenges – from logistical issues to the need for environmental remediation (there was a lot of abandoned asbestos in underground cellars that we discovered), and dealing with the unused dead end of the canal arm that cut across the location of the green. Yet, by respecting the site’s heritage (we now have the main part of the canal arm fully incorporated into the site, and the wider area masterplan, with its connection to the main canal), and viewing them as opportunities rather than as obstacles, MMUH’s design merges the area’s industrial legacy with forward-thinking architecture. This synergy of past and future underpins MMUH’s role as a beacon of healthcare and community empowerment in the region.
Conclusions Healthcare institutions need architects to design spaces that are flexible, adaptable, and sustainable, and that can improve patient experience and health outcomes. The
64 Health Estate Journal February 2025
Midland Metropolitan University Hospital is a milestone in hospital design – a facility that embraces adaptability, integrates advanced technologies, and fosters a sense of community. More than just a hospital, MMUH is a resilient, future-ready institution that addresses immediate healthcare needs while laying the foundation for broader community development. With its advanced design, commitment to sustainability, and digital innovations, MMUH exemplifies a modern approach to healthcare that will inspire similar transformations across Europe. The project was designed around the concept of a new approach to healthcare through wellbeing for both patients and the staff. The number of people using both the winter garden and the outside space is a fantastic testament that our vision has not only been understood, but is also much appreciated. It is a confirmation of how crucial it is to develop and communicate a strong, clear vision to all stakeholders, and to maintain this throughout the construction. A tight-knit collaboration between the Sandwell and
West Birmingham NHS Trust, the architects’ team, HKS, who expertly led the project team, Cagni Williams, who led the design, Sonnemann Toon for its invaluable clinical concept, Balfour Beatty, and all the consultants involved, together, turned this vision into reality. Several meetings, in-depth reviews, and small focus
groups, have been critical to inform and engage both the NHS and external stakeholders, building trust and support. In conclusion, we believe that MMUH solidified our expertise and experience in designing and delivering new generation, large-scale hospital projects – and we loved every moment of it.
Author image courtesy Agnese Sanvito
Courtesy of Jack Hobhouse
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