MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
continues to pan out, and to engage with other unforeseen future circumstances that may occur. As a result, there is now a greater understanding that health and social care facilities should have the ability to ‘flex’ to meet future challenges. ‘Designing-in’ flexibility is now central to many of our clients’ briefs, with MMC key to how we meet this challenge as designers.
I have so far principally discussed the impact of offsite construction on building fabric, and the speed and quality it can deliver to the construction process, but what about its impact on people? A less prescriptive approach to MMC further enables the delivery of higher quality spaces, that create more enjoyable, varied environments for NHS staff. The importance of NHS staff has rightly been a huge focus during COVID-19; from rainbows in windows, to clapping on doorsteps, we have seen a public outpouring of appreciation. While this appreciation is important, it must also be met with better working conditions to make NHS staff feel rightly valued and well looked after; a radical rethink of the spaces that these personnel work and rest in could go a long way towards achieving this.
North Manchester General Hospital At North Manchester General Hospital, we are working with users on the concept of high quality, common amenity space for staff outside of their department, making siloed, windowless staff rooms a thing of the past. Our designs for bright spaces, with ample natural light and relaxing views, allow for quality social and recuperation time. They complement the other internal and external amenity
Alex Solk
Alex Solk leads a broad range of public sector projects for Sheppard Robson from the practice’s Manchester office, with a responsibility for leading its Health+Care projects. Alongside project work, he is involved in the practice’s Sustainability Group, which promotes responsible design practices and thinking across all offices. His user-centric, sustainable approach has been woven into numerous recent high-profile projects, which ‘reinvent building typologies for the 21st century’. He is currently working on a transformative project at North Manchester General Hospital (NMGH), creating a focal point for the community with integrated health and social care facilities, high-quality new homes, and access to better education and training, alongside the creation of major new public open spaces.
He is actively involved in knowledge transfer within the design and construction sector. This includes his current role as Membership Secretary for Architects for Health, promoting new standards for the design of healthcare facilities. He has also made a documentary with the BBC exploring the effects of climate change on the built environment, and solutions for a low-carbon future.
spaces across the development, providing choice, while enabling staff to refresh – which is vital to them delivering the best possible care. In our view, construction techniques should allow the sector to embrace a holistic definition of wellness, and its application to hospital design is essential – now, more than ever – considering the ongoing crisis in the NHS that is seeing more staff leaving the service than joining it. There is certainly a window of
June 2021 Health Estate Journal 57
opportunity for architects to embrace the opportunities that MMC can offer. Success will hinge on getting the repeatable elements right, while integrating responsive design strategies. MMC could be a wonderful leveller, creating a consistent, high-quality standard for health and social care infrastructure across the county, and in order for this to happen, architectural design skill needs to be balanced with the pragmatism and efficiency of MMC.
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