‘The Sheffield Team’ – comprising David Baldwin, Amy Cheung, Philip Daniels, Simon Grayson, Alexandra Jones, Jeremy Lodge, Anca Milache, Kay Robson and Basim Shamsuddin, all students studying at The School of Architecture at The University of Sheffield – where shortlisted in the Architects for Health’s First Student Health Design Award (2007) for the following submission. For contact please email: basim@glennhowells.co.uk
Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
Project brief:
Based on the Royal Hallamshire Hospital site, the Department of Genito-Urinary Medicine is the main provider of sexual health care for the city of Sheffield. In common with most G.U.M clinics in the UK, the Sheffield clinic has reached capacity.
The G.U.M Clinic has been allocated 300sqm of additional space to expand existing facilities and the proposed aim was to produce a strategy for expanding the clinic that could effectively link new and existing spaces in a way that was conducive to a positive experience for both patients and staff. As a potentially sensitive clinic a balance was necessary between being open and inviting whilst also retaining a high degree of privacy and confidentiality.
This project was part of the Live Projects programme, where Architecture students worked with a range of clients including local community groups, charities, health organisations and regional authorities. In some cases the projects involve actual building, in others design of urban masterplans, in others consultation exercises. In every case, the project is real, happening in real time with real people.
Project proposal:
Students worked with a client team of medical staff and patients through consultation workshops and meetings before producing a set of generalised G.U.M clinic conditions, aspirations and spatial relations. From this, the team developed a booklet that could be used by others involved in this specialised area of design.
The principles contained within this booklet were then used to develop proposals for the Hallamshire Hospital’s specific circumstances, using an ASPECT assessment tool [a linked research project in the Architecture Department] to understand the existing clinic’s weaknesses and compare improvements.
Having worked closely with the client through design development the student team created a series of proposals which were presented to the Hallamshire Hospital. The design proposals aimed to create a series of spaces, with varying layers of enclosure and privacy, striking a balance between patient and staff needs. The design offers a facility that shuns the institutionalised appearance of a hospital building and instead creates a building that seeks to dispel the stigma that is associated with Genito-Urinary conditions.
The Architects for Health
First Student Health Design Award
was sponsored by
