A new high quality acute hospital, using sustainable construction methods. The new healthcare facility accommodates clinical wards, office space, educational facilities, and a wellbeing hub.
Renal Unit, Western General Hospital
Western General Hospital's new Rental Unit provides more dialysis stations and space for patients.
Healthcare - Scotland
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Project Overview
This project involves a new Renal unit at the Western General Hospital to provide a specialist treatment facility and associated support accommodation. It accommodates up to 12 dialysis stations including two four-station treatment bays and four single rooms.
The new building replaces a smaller unit, which was over 30 years old, and very cramped. It has increased the number of dialysis stations from 9 to 12 so now up to 72 patients can be treated in the unit. The project involves the construction of a new two-storey steel framed building with a link bridge at the upper level to tie back into the existing Ward 1 building. Due to the slope of the site, the building is set into the ground with retaining walls forming the north wall of the lower ground floor.
The Challenge
1. Alignment of link bridge
2. Coordination with existing below-ground service routes
3. Existing topography
4. Lack of staff parking during construction
Our Solution
1. Coordination was required with two separate architects to align the bridge with internal layouts for both buildings
2. Depth and position of foundations designed to avoid interfering with existing service ducts. This required the upper ground floor to cantilever beyond the support structure in a couple of locations
3. Upper Ground floor cantilevers beyond the lower ground floor retaining wall to make better use of the available site area
4. To counter this, the team arranged to use the old vacant Royal Victoria Hospital site for some accommodation, materials stores and 100 spaces for NHS staff.