ASCENDIS: A PROPOSITION TO CPU[ai]’s POSITION

REGULATIONS

TEACHING: PRACTISING: IMPLEMENTING:

Facilities designed to push the bounds of specialised treatment can only be as successful as the people behind such teaching and innovation. Facilities in ASCENDIS rely on fostering collaboration between eager MMU students, supportive faculty staff and experienced NHS specialists. This provides the next generation of healthcare workers with valuable industry experience by introducing the first link between theory in the classroom and their first steps in a real-world setting.

Teaching is not limited to the classroom. Teaching in ASCENDIS extends to teaching all three groups the importance of fostering social cohesion. By establishing a space that pushes for interaction between MMU students, faculty members, NHS healthcare professional and Hulme residents themselves, it fosters a routine past the classroom and theory. From public talks and demos to individual consultancies, ASCENDIS aims to bring these three groups together and create something more.

All of this requires a sturdy backbone to remind all parties of the common goal: improving Hulme’s health standards. ASCENDIS relies on biophilic design to establish a connection between nature and the built environment. Integrating natural elements, such as green surfaces, abundant natural light, and indoor plants, all do their part to improve air quality, reduce stress, and ease tensions for what might be someone’s first time stepping into a healthcare institution.

ASCENDIS enables the first step from theoretical learning into practical education. The MMU healthcare curriculum is integrated with the NHS’ operating capacity of the services provided at the healthcare and physiotherapy centre. Clinical rotations, mentorship programs, and workshops collectively ensure a comprehensive learning experience for all stakeholders involved.

This building scheme also acts as practice for a new MMU business model that helps alleviate the consistently-growing strain on the NHS by playing to the Faculty of Healthcare’s growing student numbers. With a community where word of mouth passes like forest fires, bringing on community ambassadors, campaign leaders and representatives would be in the interest of both parties.

Collaborating with the MMU Healthcare Faculty, the NHS and the Hulme community in a tripartite partnership helps leverage their respective expertise, resources, and funding to support the development and operation of the physiotherapy and clinic centre. Such rationale fits the criteria of the UK government’s new £800 million intiative to subsidise collaboration programmes between British universities and the NHS. As ASCENDIS revolves around biophilic architecture, a strong basis is made to develop carbon-efficient practises. From low-carbon ventilation systems to consistent use of onsite renewables, notably sunlight and cross winds, ASCENDIS aligns its sustainability goals with that of the government’s and RIBA’s.

The intention of a biophilic building is to not promote itself as a saving-grace-solution to the climate emergency, but instead to seamlessly weave itself with the local site and residents. No one in Hulme wants to suddenly see another massive building filled with “seagulls“; a term that describes the loud and noisy MMU students and staff that only come in the warm months.

ASCENDIS looks to weave the very essence of physiotherapy into the landscape fabric of the building. By establishing this site as a new pedestrian and bicycle link between multiple parts of Hulme, residents naturally participate with the building scheme simply by walking through it. Not only does the building serve as a reminder for their own health, but the landscaped physiotherapy equipment creates a soft change in their routine as they simply take a minute or two out of their daily commute to practise their physiotherapy exercises.

The large ETFE atrium in the middle acts as a focal point and wayfinder for Hulme residents, MMU stakeholders and NHS members to harmonise a space all can enjoy. Filled with an abundance of natural light, fresh air ventilation, indoor plants and strong visual connections and physical connections from inside to outside, ASCENDIS fairs better than other MMU schemes to properly integrate itself with the local context and not act like another seagull.

FORM & STRUCTURE ARTICULATION FROM 3.1 PLANS

Draught Lobbies

LEFT: Streamlining the individual draught lobbies into a shared lobby with integrated ventilation and PA systems

ABOVE: Reducing the south facade’s sharp geometry for a more flushed and linear appearance, benefitting lines of sight and improving the clarity of wayfinding