ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
at the same time. I also love dancing, and can’t wait to get back to it once I’m properly recovered.” Steve Long from Lightwater, who
was at Heatherwood in March for an endoscopy, said: “I think Heatherwood is a real asset because it doesn’t have an A&E department, so they are able to specialise in different areas. I’m very grateful to be part of this NHS system, which I’ve found amazing. The level of communication – from emailing and texting appointments to the follow-up and phone calls – has been absolutely first class. It’s so good to have this facility local to us; it’s an absolute gem.”
‘Fantastic facilities and staff’ It is heartening to hear this and to look through some of the Google reviews of the hospital online to find that users have referred to ‘fantastic facilities and staff’, and a building that is ‘lovely, bright, and clean’, with comments including: ‘I felt very calm from start to finish’, and ‘I am actually looking forward to my next visit.’ Another patient, Michael Grant, from Frimley, was being discharged following a hip replacement, when he said: ‘It’s been an excellent service for me. I only went to see my GP in January, and here I am all done and ready to go home just six weeks later. I can’t fault the hospital or the lovely staff.’ Sue Darch, from Beaconsfield, who
was recovering in Heatherwood a week after a total knee replacement, said: ‘I think it is wonderful; it’s extremely clean and modern, and it is lovely to have my own room. The staff and the service are excellent.’ These comments take us back to the crux of our design approach, which was focused on the question: ‘How does a building make you feel?’ The impact of how a building makes you feel should not be underestimated. Simplicity is also key; indeed, simple but beautiful geometry was integral to the architectural aesthetic of the new hospital. The site was designed to be
legible – in other words, easy to navigate, with parking outside the front door, and a clear and intuitive journey into and through the hospital. On entry, the reception within double height space is right in front of those arriving, along with the waiting area. We have worked with the levels to reduce the perceived scale of the building at main entrance level, and allow good segregation of flows with distinct front and back doors. The previous hospital had 132 points of access; there are eight in the new one. The entire approach is about taking the stress out of the experience of going to hospital. The simple form of the building, and its
compact footprint, also have important sustainability benefits. This approach generates a good wall to floor ratio which – combined with a highly insulated envelope, limited areas of curtain walling, and the use of LED lighting throughout – result in a building which is highly efficient in terms of energy use. The use of timber cladding and hybrid curtain wall and window systems has also reduced the quantity of embodied carbon. Additional energy savings have been realised via the inclusion of two large air source heat pumps and a large PV array at roof level. Where possible, sedum roofs were included, which help with attenuating storm water run-off, whilst the large biodiverse ‘balancing pond’ of course has biodiversity benefits on top of wellbeing advantages; indeed in the height of summer last year deer were using it as swimming pool to cool off.
A model for the future Is this hospital a model for the future of the NHS? As a dedicated planned care centre, Heatherwood undoubtedly represents a significant component of future healthcare provision. As the periods of winter pressure extend into the spring and beyond, elective care will continue to be squeezed on acute sites, with the associated lengthening of waiting lists.
Grouping specialist services in separate locations to mitigate this challenge makes a lot of sense. Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust –
by enacting a long-term strategic vision, considering care provision across the region and its entire estate, has put itself in the enviable position of being able to make inroads into its elective backlog while freeing up space on its sites in Frimley and Slough for enhanced acute, emergency, and maternity services. At Heatherwood, a review of the local hospital estate identified an area of land, not suitable for residential development, but an ideal location for a healthcare facility imbued with the principles espoused by healthcare design researcher, Roger Ulrich, optimising the restorative benefits and improved outcomes of the woodland context. The existing hospital continued to operate unaffected throughout the construction phase, and was subsequently sold for residential development, partially funding the new hospital.
Sean Woodhead
Sean Woodhead is is an associate architect at BDP, a major global, multidisciplinary practice of architects, designers, engineers, and urbanists. He has 20 years’ experience in healthcare design, particularly of large-scale healthcare projects. A client-facing design architect, he has a thorough understanding of the technical aspects of the profession, gained through many years’ experience delivering projects with different construction techniques and procurement routes.
Past projects on which he has worked have included Bristol Royal Infirmary; Heatherwood Hospital; Grange University Hospital, Cwmbran; Royal United Hospital, Bath; Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton; Cancer Treatment Centre, Hampshire; Morriston Hospital, Swansea; Southmead Hospital, Bristol, and Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Queensland.
Extensive glazing, and thus ample light provision, are key features of the new hospital. January 2024 Health Estate Journal 75
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