ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
that is equitable, flexible, and inclusive. Extensive consultation was undertaken. Stakeholders included Liverpool City Council Corporate Access Forum, people with dementia expertise, patients, staff members, and the local community in a number of public roadshows. The timing of these allowed feedback to be incorporated – triggering layout changes, amendments to finishes, the design of the unitised glazing fritting, the staff call system, and public hearing loops etc. An access consultant employed during design and early construction stages provided a detailed, holistic commentary, and targeted improvements to meet best practice. A large percentage of amendments were incorporated in the resulting design, within Trust budget constraints.
The centre in more detail The main entrance to the building has two access points. From West Derby Street the access is close to dedicated taxi drop-off points with a practically level approach. The north side houses vehicle drop-off points and patient parking, including generous disabled provision. The route into the hospital is level access, utilising pedestrian crossings. Circulation around the building meets or exceeds HBN standards in most places, with contrasting handrails and doors held open or requiring minimum effort to open. Finishes have been specified to be dementia-friendly, while light reflectance values and contrasts have been selected to meet or exceed Part M. Pedestrian lifts and stairs are organised legibly, and visible from the hospital street adjacent to the internal atria to help with intuitive wayfinding.
The focus was on providing a comforting and less clinical-feeling environment for patients and their families.
There is a Changing Places facility on the main entrance floor. Patient sanitary provision elsewhere comprises unisex disabled WCs which exceed Part M standards, giving flexibility for people to be assisted if required. Each of the inpatient bedrooms has an en-suite bathroom. These have been designed collaboratively to ensure maximum flexibility for all users, with the same principles of unassisted or assisted use, ensuring room for a mobile hoist. A Contemplation room is available for people of all beliefs to pray, or to just find some quiet time away from busier spaces.
Community impact and engagement The scheme has already had a positive impact on the streetscape and local community. The building is of a high quality, and improves the streetscape, with its sleek, unitised glazed skin and
stepped form revealing roof terraces at the higher levels. The design includes upgrades to the public realm. New granite paving, pedestrian crossings, bike storage, benching, and planting, all provide colour, nature, and movement, to the street scene.
Local people are extremely proud of and positive about the scheme, which has benefits to the community which reach far beyond its aesthetics. Liverpool has one of the highest cancer rates in the country, and the new centre will enable the Trust to treat over 30,000 people per year, prolonging and improving their lives. The enhanced research and drugs manufacturing facilities within the building, as well as close physical links to the University and Knowledge Quarter, are intended to drive forward research into gene therapies, clinical trials, and new drugs and treatment techniques,
January 2021 Health Estate Journal 25
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