SHOWCASE7
An Iconic Oasis
Rashid Medical Center - Campus Master Plan GRESHA M, SMITH AND PA RTNER S
AN
RASHID MEDICAL CENTER - CAMPUS MASTER PLAN
he most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai is home to just over 2 million people from more than 200 different nationalities. An emerging global city with a rapidly growing tourism sector, Dubai is slated to host the 2020 World Expo, the first time the event will be held in the Middle East. In keeping with the emirate’s ongoing transformation, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA)—a government agency that oversees the healthcare system—has strategic goals to upgrade and expand Dubai’s hospitals to offer citizens, expatriates and regional countries world-class healthcare options. As a part of this initiative, the DHA launched an invitation-only design competition for a master plan to expand a current facility, the Rashid Hospital, into a leading medical complex. GS&P’s winning proposal took into consideration the logistical challenges of building around—and then
THE RASHID MEDICAL COMPLEX WILL BE A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY WITH A GOAL TO MAKE THE QUALITY OF CARE SECOND TO NONE IN THE GULF REGION. Frank Swaans, Senior Healthcare Planner
replacing—the existing hospital, as well as sustainability in a desert climate, and reflecting the spirit of a city full of iconic architecture. “There are several medical campuses throughout the city, but Rashid is the flagship hospital,” says Kevin Kim, senior vice president and design principal on the project. To meet DHA’s goals of ensuring excellence in healthcare and promoting Dubai as a destination city for medical services, the city is planning significant expansion to its hospitals. “With assistance from the government, citizens of the UAE often travel to the United States, Great Britain or Europe for medical care. Likewise, foreigners living and working in the UAE generally travel to their home countries for care. So the government’s goal is to provide world-class healthcare options at home to reverse this trend of outbound medical travel.” In addition, Dubai officials are working to attract an annual goal of 500,000 medical tourists before 2020’s World Expo, particularly patients from the six countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, as well as from across the Middle East and North Africa. “They are aiming high,” says Frank Swaans, senior healthcare planner and principal in charge. “The Rashid medical complex will be a state-ofthe-art facility with a goal to make the quality of care second to none in the Gulf region.”
The Centers of Excellence building will serve as a shared clinical and research facility.
A 250-room, five-star hotel is located on the south campus, which is connected to the rehab centers by a green roof.
A GLOBAL EFFORT The GS&P design team initially faced the challenge of how to work most effectively across geographic and cultural boundaries. To maintain accuracy and communication throughout the design process, the team used leading-edge collaborative software and video conferencing. Despite the great distances involved, however, the client preferred personal meetings. Team members recognized that extended trips would allow for valuable
collaboration and provide more time to build relationships. “In the Middle East, they develop relationships,” says Swaans. “They want to see you, shake hands, have a meal. So we traveled there frequently. “As the project moves into its next phases and construction begins, we will have even more of a local presence. Projects such as this are international in scope, with team members working in multiple hemispheres. But ultimately, success is achieved on site.”
The Rashid Hospital complex is located in the heart of Dubai, only 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport.
NORTH CAMPUS
EXISTING METRO STATION
N
CONFERENCE CENTER
CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
PARKING GARAGE
NEW INPATIENT TOWERS
REINVENTING REGIONAL HEALTHCARE
STAFF APARTMENTS
FIVE-STAR HOTEL
FAMILY HOTEL
VILLAS FOR STAFF
RETAIL/COMMERCIAL MALL
SOUTH CAMPUS
INPATIENT TOWERS
Organized into several functional zones, the large, urban campus is intended to be a cornerstone of the regional healthcare delivery system developed for Dubai. The current master plan calls for a 900-bed tertiary hospital, multispecialty outpatient facilities, a conference and education center, research space, a central utility plant, and a 3,000-space parking structure— all on the north side of the campus. The south side of the complex will encompass rehabilitation facilities, two luxury hotels, villas for physician consultants, six apartment buildings for staff members, a 2,400-space parking structure, and a retail market. “The north campus is hospitalrelated, and the south campus is more residential,” says Kim. “The south campus will also have a shopping mall, since everything necessary for creating a good living environment for staff and specialists will need to be imported.” One of the key challenges facing the GS&P team was crafting a master plan that kept the original Rashid Hospital fully functional during the first phase of construction. “The replacement hospital will be built first, then we’ll demolish the existing hospital, and in its place there will be a new building with other functionality,” says Kim. “A newer trauma center, currently undergoing renovations, will be the only existing building incorporated into the new layout. “These two existing facilities ultimately influenced the locations of various other components, and organizing functions and services that need to be located in relation to each other became an extensive challenge.” The GS&P team tackled the issue through phasing construction, and by creating temporary outpatient areas within the inpatient hospital to be used until the new facilities are built.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT SYSTEMS Heat recovery from the electrical cogeneration system powers chillers and provides steam for medical sterilization.
WATER CONSERVATION Rainwater is collected and reused for process water.
LOW-IMPACT TRANSPORTATION
GREEN ROOF Reduces water runoff and flow rates. Cuts down on heat absorption, boosting energy efficiency.
RENEWABLE ENERGY Parking garage roof provides ideal opportunity for photovoltaic installation.
Direct access to mass transportation significantly reduces CO2 emissions.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE FACADES High-performance glazing films minimize solar heat gain. Thermal mass walls are designed to moderate temperatures throughout the day and night.
A SUSTAINABLE, ACCESSIBLE OASIS The new hospital complex is schedrehab centers,” says Kim. “As the crowded neighborhoods, the design uled to be operational before the master plan moves into constructeam had to devise a carefully orga2020 World Expo, whose theme tion, we’ll further customize the nized traffic pattern to reduce con“Connecting Minds, Creating the gestion and carbon emissions, as green roofs for optimal effect in Future” will highlight sustainability well as facilitate patient movement. the extreme environment.” and mobility, two ideas captured in Taking advantage of Dubai’s “The medical complex is in a cenGS&P’s design. ample sunshine, extensive rooftop tral downtown location with heavy Because the UAE is in a desert solar panels will generate part of traffic, so we wanted to take advanenvironment with limited resources, the energy needed for the complex. tage of an existing mass transit stathe DHA wanted all of the facilities In a city where summertime temtion on the west side of the north to incorporate environmentally susperatures can reach or exceed 104 campus,” notes Kim. “The most tainable features. circulation will be outpatient and degrees Fahrenheit, keeping build“Form and function work hand certain education-related functions, ing interiors cool was also key. The in hand. That’s the essence of green so we placed those buildings nearest GS&P design incorporates a highly design,” says Swaans. the metro station, directly “We looked at the susconnected by a bridge.” WE CREATED THIS CURVED, tainability goals and Streamlining flow, then devised solutions to vehicular traffic will be GENTLY SLOPING GREEN ROOF elegantly combine form organized and separated THAT CONNECTS ALL THREE and function in an envito provide convenient ronmentally responsible access to each functional MAJOR INPATIENT TOWERS, medical center that will zone—inpatient, outpaalso operate at optimal tient, rehabilitation, hotel, THEN RUNS ACROSS THE SOUTH retail, commercial and efficiency.” CAMPUS AND CONNECTS THE Water conservasupport services. tion is crucial in Dubai, “The public and staff HOTEL AND REHAB CENTERS. which receives less than circulation is organized 6 inches of rainfall along courtyards between Kevin Kim, Senior Vice President annually, and depends buildings, which will proand Design Principal on desalination of seavide shade and protection water. Rashid Hospital from the desert climate,” complex’s design will allow that explains Kim. “And the retail and efficient exterior envelope and winscant rainfall to be collected and cafeteria functions will also be along dow glazing to minimize heat gain, used for process water. Green roofs and geothermal systems can provide the courtyards.” will improve energy efficiency by indoor cooling. Dubai’s energy consumption per absorbing the sun’s heat, filter polcapita is currently among the highest “Our solar studies will help best lution from the crowded city, reduce determine where to use windows, in the world, but the emirate is takwater runoff and provide a quieter and where to replace them with ing steps toward a greener city. The thermal mass walls that absorb the features incorporated into GS&P’s and more attractive environment. “We created this curved, gently heat of the day and radiate it at night,” master plan will help the DHA betsloping green roof that connects says Swaans. ter manage the medical complex’s Because the new medical comeffect on the environment. all three major inpatient towers, plex will be more than a kilometer then runs across the south campus and connects the hotel and in length, and will be surrounded by
CHANNELING THE SPIRIT OF DUBAI Dubai is rapidly solidifying its status from above. We understood that “Dubai started as a seaside trading as a pioneer of new ideas and a hub this huge campus in a strategic and port. If you look at the three inpatient visible location not only had to make towers, they’re oriented toward the of global commerce at the heart of a new “Silk Road” that links Asia, sense as a healthcare facility with the Dubai Creek, like ships with unfurled Africa and Europe. In addition to right functionality, but it also had to sails,” says Kim. “Among Dubai’s creating a world-class healthcare complement the image of the city.” iconic architecture are structures destination, the design team had to The entire complex incorporates that are only fully understood from remain mindful of architecture trends traditional Islamic and Middle an aerial view, like the palm islands. in Dubai, and fit the master plan into Eastern design features, and subLooking at the new medical complex the context of Dubai as a whole. tly reflects the spirit of the city in from above, the arching of the tow“Dubai is known for iconic unexpected ways. ers and placement of hotels form the architecture, and has star and crescent, an cleverly created this international emblem If you’re writing a poem, an image as one of the of Islam. These subtle most progressive citinterpretations were how understanding of vocabulary ies in the region via we infused the design and syntax is only the start. its built environment,” with a feel that unites it says Kim. “So you with the entire city.” What matters is how it comes have the world’s talltogether as a unifying image est building, an indoor ski resort, and manand message. In architecture, made islands that look like palm trees working out the functionality
of a building is just the basics. Kevin Kim, Senior Vice President and Design Principal
After winning the design competition, the GS&P team is now working with Dubai officials to launch the first phase of design on the north campus. “We are only at the beginning of this monumental project, but Dubai anticipates a landmark design that symbolizes its modernity and growing global presence,” says Swaans. Ultimately, a deep understanding of how to craft memorable structures that go beyond mere functionality
is what made GS&P’s master plan design stand out. “If you’re writing a poem, an understanding of vocabulary and syntax is only the start. What matters is how it comes together as a unifying image and message. In architecture, working out the functionality of a building is just the basics,” says Kim. “What really makes a difference is how form, function and design come together to create a space that’s not just where people work and live, but is part of the urban fabric; something that inspires people and makes them proud of their city. Our scheme has done that quite well, especially within the context of Dubai.”▪
PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT
Dubai Health Authority
LOCATION
TEAM
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
PIC Frank Swaans, AIA, ACHA, FHFI, LEED AP, EDAC PD Kevin K. S. Kim, AIA
MARKET
Healthcare
PD Samuel Chunfu Lin PM David Stewart, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP PP Sejin Kim, Associate AIA, LEED AP
Alex Ge SERVICES
Conceptual Design Master Planning Programming Site Planning
Brian Hubbard Gregory J. Wieland, AIA Paul Legan
ARCHITECTURE
ENGINEERING
INTERIORS
PLANNING
www.greshamsmith.com/showcase