This idea, of course, would need further collaboration across the DC ecosystem.. To bring the session to a close, there was a round-up of the issues and barriers that need to be solved in the short term.

This brings a wide variety of benefits, not least flexibility.. By recognising that the space required for a treatment room can be the same as for an office, say, designing on that principle means that, should the need arise, it is easy to convert an office into a treatment room, or vice versa.This is a rational, logical approach.. Our hospital for Circle Health in Birmingham was designed to a grid of four and eight metre spaces.

While the reason for this rationalisation was to allow for flexibility and future expansion, a change in business planning meant we had to bring this requirement forward, and expand the hospital while construction was underway, but also while keeping the lower floors operational.. Rationalisation of the internal grid does not limit the options for the external appearance or the aesthetic design of the building.A Platforms approach places no constraint on the architect’s freedom to create a uniquely beautiful building that responds to its environment..Resilience, future-proofing and sustainability.

It is not enough for a hospital to be excellent when it first opens its doors..It must also be excellent next year, in 10 years’ time and 10 years after that.

It must be able to respond not only to its own changing requirements, but those of local and neighbouring environments, populations and infrastructure.

As we have seen over 2020, those changes can be radical and terrifyingly fast.The next generation are incredibly aware of the climate emergency and these types of issues, but we can’t wait for them.

If we wait any longer, we’ll miss the boat.The building blocks are in place and the time has come to make the change.

It’s up to us to build our sustainable future.. To learn more about our Design to Value approach to design and construction, sign up for our monthly newsletter here:.http://bit.ly/BWNewsUpdatesDeveloping our Design to Value approach as pharmaceutical plant design consultants.