ECHIPA:
Autor principal: Arh. Marius V. Miclăuș
Colaboratori arhitectură:
Arh. Marius Hârța, arh. Zsolt Varday, arh. Jan Vanko, arh. Alexandru Vladovici, arh. Diana Murariu, stud. arh. Martha Morosan, arh. Serban Ganea, arh. Alexandru Cheregi, arh. Ovidiu Terchilă, arh. Andreea Morărescu, arh. Carles Tolomeiu, arh. Teodora Constantinescu, arh. Cosmin Morărescu
Colaboratori specialităţi
arh. peisagist Ana Horhat, arh. Gabriel Tudor Sevan, arh. peisagist Vlad Bogdan Teodorescu, Teodora Lazăr, Tudor Suciu, ing. Mihai Lute, ing. Adrian Valea, ing. Cristian Palade
URBAN METAMORPHOSIS
Like dialysis has the role of maintaining the equilibrium of the body, by correcting the levels of different toxic substances in the blood, our project proposes a variety of new, contemporary urban elements for the site of the Ansamblul Clinicilor Universitare to balance out the natural-built ecosystem of the ensemble.
1. Creating continuity in the Cluj-Napoca’s green skyline:
Our solution integrates the new volume in the urban fabric of Cluj-Napoca by designing the northern facade of the hospital as a green prolongation of the site’s topography and enhancing its physical position: the crossing point of different ecosystems. Thus, in the city perspective from the vantage point of the Cetatuia Hill, the green horizontal layer of vegetation finally becomes cohesive and continuous, ensuring harmony at a birds-eye level. The tilted facade has multiple roles: (1) this integration in the city skyline, and (2) facilitating the integration in the historical ensemble with the Class A monuments, merging two different architectural regimes.
2. Enhancing the circulation flow within the site of University Hospital Complex
Our solution was designed to answer the lack of intuitive routes and logical circulation flows within the site. To mediate the relationship between the ensemble and the urban traffic, the volume absorbs all the existing surface-level parking spaces in two underground levels containing over 300 parking spots. The main axes (North-South and East-West) of the ensemble will be redesigned in order to increase the public space and to improve the traffic flow. To further open up the ensemble on the third terrace towards Aleea Studenților, the existing fence will be moved behind the church to ensure a continuous pedestrian flow and secure the main access of the hospital as an open, porous apparatus.
3. Approaching the landscape flexibly
There is a need for a patient-centred, functionally efficient and hygienic environment that provides pleasant and stress relieving characteristics. Green space plays a salient role in our approach and is envisioned as a miniature forest on the third terrace of the ensemble, with the capacity to take maximum advantage of the shading/cooling and sensorial qualities of flora, and to also enhance the local biodiversity. The green scenery becomes a wellness oasis and accessible routes for the patients.
4. Integrating the adjacent historical sites
The remodelled traffic flow and redesigned parking space allows for the rehabilitation of the historical routes and their subsequent reintroduction into the pedestrian flows. The routes between the clinics will be reintegrated into a complex island landscape following two main green grids: the sinuous Miko Garden’s grid and the orthogonal grid of Ansamblul Clinicilor Universitare.
THE TRANSPARENT MOUNTAIN
positivity, serenity and order
“…that my empire is made of the stuff of crystals, its molecules arranged in a perfect pattern. Amid the surge of the elements, a splendid hard diamond takes shape, an immense, faceted, transparent mountain.“ (Calvino, I., Invisible cities / 1978)
Our design principles are patient-centered, being sensible to their needs while fostering a sense of control with respect to physical surroundings. The second important principle is centered around the healthcare professionals' who, in terms of the position of the spaces that serve the medical act, seek innovation and comfort in a positive environment.
FUNCTIONAL
The core of our functional design and philosophy is distributing the different medical departments on different floors - Nephrology ground floor and 1st floor, Pulmonology 2nd floor, Hepatology 3rd floor and Cardiology 4th floor . In addition to the spaces required by the contest theme, we considered it imperative to add the Pulmonology transplant division. This decision was taken due to the fact that this (the transplant act) is the main profile of the new hospital building.
The horizontal stratification is the basis of the innovations brought by the overall design, and achieves multiple functions:
● Multiple easy accesses to plazas and green areas: The hospital opens in a dual-level plaza, which orderly manages all the access towards the building and its public and semi-public spaces.
● Functions on correlated and dedicated flows: The flow of actions devoted to each surgery type are clearly demarcated within the dedicated floors. Through this design decision the project solves multiple limitations traditional hospitals encounter:
○ On the patients’ wellbeing, the horizontal segmentation helps by reducing their anxiety and stress related to moving vertically during medical interventions
○ The layering limits unconstructive interactions between different departments of the hospital, allowing medical professionals to focus on delivering the best possible care for the patients.
○ The solution reduces the costs of integrating complex MEP systems that are specific to medical spaces flexible in use.
● Easy orientation at each level: The vertical crystalline installation becomes a reference point visible to the patient from all levels, managing both their physical routes within the departmental floors and their emotional journey - a transformative process of repair and recovery in mind, body and spirit. We choose to propose a vertical chapel, symbolising the ascension towards serenity, and by the crystal’s prism installation, allowing a light spectacle to be part of the ensemble.
● Participatory design practices: Both the proposal as the implementation process have a strong participatory aspect. The design outcome of this project was developed in close collaboration with different MEP systems engineers, medical professionals and former or present patients in a transplant center.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
The proposed volume harmoniously integrates with the neighbouring hill from the distant Somes’ bank and takes advantage of the micro-forest situated on the site of Ansamblul Clinicilor Universitare. We took the design decision of using the maximum available limits for this volume to use efficiently all the available space, and even more to diminish the height of the building with respect to the other adjacent constructions, lowering the appearance of intrusion.
Sunlight is highly correlated with wellbeing and recovery, thus patient’s rooms are oriented toward the South and/or East, as a general rule of the design. The ground floor is used for one-day hospitalisation and for general access to semi-public, education and Accident & Emergency spaces. The semi-basements with facades for administrative and general services. Sensitive spaces - the intensive care units - can be found under the green layer of the northern facade, which allows for several innovations:
- allows emergency exits;
- enables the use of natural lighting in some sections of the operating unit;
- simplifies the HVAC system from above the operating unit, allowing smaller-sized and more efficient such technologies for intensive care AIC.
PERFECT BALANCE
Architecture itself cannot heal, but it facilitates engagement in behaviours and emotions that support healing. Both natural and built environments induce a harmonious balance between physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual wellbeing of patients, all of which are antecedents to healing. In this sense, our proposed solution is based on a salutogenic hospital design in order to create an environment that stimulates feelings of satisfaction, serenity and order for both patients and health professionals.
Patients
The central point of our design is the patient and all the design decisions were taken such that the entire experience of having surgery goes as smooth and less traumatic as possible. The horizontal layering of the hospital’s departments confine the patients’ activities (surgery, recovery, leisure) on one floor, allowing them to become familiar with the space. The recovery rooms are oriented towards the sun and bring nature closer with the vertical gardens that allow the patients to experience nature from inside. The contrasts in the materials used - ceramic shaders (special used for medical spaces) for patients’ rooms - place the occupiers in a room different from the monotonous, typical and heavily-sterile hospital room.
Healthcare professionals
The medical staff were given equal attention, as we believe that positive persons help the patients the most during the process. We enabled a more cohesive communication and an increased professional atmosphere through the centrally located structure - a lounge for the doctors. This space is accessible from the underground parking or the ground floor by a shuttle-elevator, with access only for medical personnel, diminishing unwanted spontaneous interactions. The lounge opens to the different floors and in the operating unit through multiple levels of sterilization.
Operating Unit, Accidents & Emergency Unit (A&E) and Heliport
The Operating Unit of the hospital has been designed vertically, being available at the same horizontal coordinates on floors 1-4. The A&E Unit is placed in the first demi-basement (accessible from the street level), below the operating unit. The Heliport is located on top of the building, according to the special legislation, above the operating unit. We decided upon connecting vertically this entire core ensemble to provide the quickest and most efficient traffic option. In addition, this heavily reduces the energy usage of the HVAC and MEP systems that are required in this area.
MEP systems, Sustainability and Carbon footprint reduction
In a hospital, the MEP systems need a high emphasis. We propose a BMS integrated system for every part of the building, to limit the energetic expenditures. HVAC systems will be placed on top of the building and on the green facade (for intensive care AIC) and the electricity systems, with additional generators (for blackouts or fire-incidents), in the basement.
The objective was designed with the BREEAM specifications in mind, through the intelligent integration of the MEP systems within the building. The green facade contributes to efficient management of thermic energy systems, as it acts as a natural insulator and can provide microclimate control through shading. Finally, we align to the industry standards of responsible sourcing the materials, as we opt in our design to use natural and local partners for stone, ceramics, and other materials.
The final complex is expected to:
● have a lower emission rate of greenhouse gases,
● to be more efficient in terms of resource utilization,
● to be less sensitive towards fluctuations in resource availability and
● to have lower maintenance and operation costs.
