Queen Elizabeth University & Royal Hospital For Children

The development unites services previously delivered at four separate hospitals across Glasgow into a single complex comprising a 1,109 bed acute hospital, 259 bed children’s hospital, laboratories and support facilities, all set within 3 hectares of parkland. An iconic landmark located close to the River Clyde, the development has transformed the healing experience for patients, caregivers, and the community at large.

The building’s distinct functions are expressed through three unique geometric forms inspired by Clydeside’s maritime heritage: ‘Vessel’ (the children’s hospital), ‘Dock’ (adult hospital podium) and ‘Beacon’ (the 100% single bed adult ward tower).

Inside, top-lit atria articulated with brightly coloured cantilevered pods dispel the traditional image of a clinical environment. This non-institutional approach is reinforced outdoors, with a large park embracing the main entrance and a nearby children’s park creating a sense of unconfined care.

The standardised nursing unit layout minimises travel distances and optimises patient observation while also allowing the capacity of adjacent units to be flexed in response to patient demand. Perhaps most significantly, by providing 100% single occupancy adult bedrooms and nearly 100% single children’s bedrooms, the design has greatly increased patient throughput and helped reduce infection rates.

As well as setting a new benchmark in healthcare design and delivery, the development has also had a significant impact on the community, revitalising an area formerly associated with shipbuilding and helping to create over 400 local jobs.