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B+H Architects is one of the world’s best known practices in the field of sustainable architecture and complex, large-scale projects.
An international firm with branches in the USA, Canada, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, it has been designing and building healthcare structures for over sixty years.
For this hospital complex standing on a fourteen acre site, B+H Architects developed a flexible masterplan which would allow the structure to be expanded with ease in the future. The efficient yet welcoming nature of the architecture is largely a consequence of the marked separation between public and healthcare spaces, the clearly identified entrances and the distinctive façade design.
The central block where the patient rooms are located stands in marked contrast with the raised perimeter platform housing the reception and service areas, which is supported by columns and is clearly identifiable thanks to the geometric pattern of the white porcelain tile façade.
An in-depth study was performed to determine the type of fenestration that would be needed to guarantee an exterior view from all the rooms and to optimise the use of natural light in terms of both comfort and energy consumption.
Similar attention was devoted to the design of vehicular traffic flows and pedestrian movements both inside and outside the complex, the working spaces of medical and nursing staff, and the treatment areas, which were designed in accordance with the most advanced parameters of interior comfort.
The Gleneagles Medini Hospital has 300 beds, an office block and 162 suites. It was financed by Parkway Pantai Group in close partnership with Global Capital & Development. The Singapore-based group runs sixteen hospitals specialising in high-quality healthcare in numerous Asian cities.
This new hospital, under the aegis of Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), is expected to spur the growth of medical tourism as well as setting the benchmark for superior healthcare in Malaysia.
B+H Architects used the envelope – a latest-generation ventilated façade – and the sequence of openings to define the architectural image of the building.
Collection Bianco porcelain tiles from the Italian company Laminam were chosen to emphasise the linearity and purity of the different volumes.
These thin (3 mm) large-format (1000 x 3000 mm) panels serve as a unifying element for the façade design.
The panels were chosen for the entire ventilated façade system due to their perfect flatness, extremely low weight and excellent technical characteristics, which include resistance to the elements, UV radiation and stress. They are available in large sizes and create unique solutions when used in conjunction with other materials, effectively becoming the signature element of the entire project.
The Collection porcelain tile series is a totally natural product that does not release chemicals to the environment, making it ideal for the goal of environmental sustainability of the hospital complex during both construction and use.