A century after it opened as a tuberculosis treatment facility for children of First World War servicemen, Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot has undergone a transformation, returning to the ethos that nature heals
The £98m hospital was designed by BDP architects and built by Kier and is located on the site of the existing kitchen garden, which was used by the original patients to aid their recovery.
Sean Woodhead, architect associate at BDP, said the idea of utilising the woodland setting is evidence that healthcare design has come ‘full circle’, shifting away from the more-clinical-looking environments of the late 1900s.
He added: “The original Heatherwood Hospital was designed and built for the specialist treatment of tuberculosis in children, when the idea was that fresh air was key to curing the disease.
“Later in the 1960s hospitals were designed to be simple and they were about clinical efficiency, sealing up facades, and mechanical ventilation.
“With this new design it feels like we have come full circle and by maximising the woodland setting we have made the most of the natural healing environment.”
Commissioned and run by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, the 11,500sq m hospital is set deep within the trees.
Back to nature
Woodhead said: “During site clearance we managed to preserve three quarters of the landscape.
“As you approach the building the woodland screens the carpark and trees form an avenue along the road, complemented by an underplanting of ornamental shrubs.
“Further in there is a more-formal, sensory planting scheme.”
And this connection to landscape continues within the building, with views to the outside reflected on two sides from within the main entrance; from the adjacent, double-height café out onto the woods, and through the front elevation onto a courtyard area outside the main waiting space.
The topography of the site also means the main entrance is located on the first floor and bedrooms on the upper floor are level with the tree canopy, providing long views over the woodland.
Cutting carbon
Materials were chosen to further reflect this setting, with a natural colour palette and extensive use of timber throughout.
Housing six state-of-the-art ultra-clean operating theatres, a 48-bed inpatient unit, 20 outpatient rooms, diagnostic services, and administration areas; the hospital will provide a one-stop-shop for patients, avoiding the need for multiple visits and helping to reduce carbon emissions in line with government targets.
Energy efficiency is also delivered through a biodiverse balancing pond at the bottom of the sloping site, which will make use of run-off water from the building and help to prevent flooding.
And a solar farm covers a large section of the hospital roof, with a sustainable urban drainage system installed under the carpark and two large air source heat pumps serving the site.
