The work on the KD390 million ($1.28 billion) New Jahra Hospital, one of the largest healthcare development projects in Kuwait, is progressing well and is due for completion in 2018.   

An expansion of the existing Jahra Hospital, the new medical complex will boast of 1,171 beds along with a wide range of healthcare services and also function as a trauma centre for the Jahra district.  

The new project comes in line with the Kuwait Ministry of Health’s national plan to adopt the World Health Organisation’s proposal of allocating at least 22 hospital beds for every 10,000 people by 2030.

Pace, a Kuwait-based architecture, engineering, design and planning group, has been roped in to design the New Jahra Hospital.

On the new project, Pace managing partner and head architect Tarek Shuaib said: "The architectural design process commenced with a concept based on the introduction of the external element of nature to the internal environment."

"The purpose is to create harmony with healthcare facilities, as a means of contributing to the treatment and healing of the patients. Green parks and interior spaces play an active part in strengthening this direction of design, so as to create an atmosphere full of life in numerous spaces," he stated.

Unlike typical hospitals, said Shuaib, the main components are not all clustered in one zone of the building.

"Spaces for diagnosis and treatment clinics, emergency and outpatient services, ORs, and inpatient beds are well arranged in a form that services the function and circulation of building users, where the main lobby becomes an open walkway which provides easy movement and access," he explained.

On the layout, Shuaib said the new internationally-standardised medical complex comprises eight separate buildings, most predominantly is the 15-storey main hospital building which has a total built-up area of 426,000 sq m.

A Helipad is located on the top roof of the Diagnostic and Treatment Block, right above the Emergency Department’s Trauma Section. The Hospital will also include Outpatient Clinics, Renal Dialysis and Outpatient Radiology Centre’s.

According to him, the new interior spaces will surround a central main atrium rising up to five-stories high.

"These spaces entail a number of newly developed medical facilities and health services, a diagnosis and treatment wing, as well as outpatient clinics in the western wing. The patients ward rises up to 14 stories high occupying the east wing, along with private patient rooms and a diagnosis and treatment area," observed Shuaib.

A stand-alone multispecialty dental clinic centre is also being constructed within the complex consisting of a basement, ground, and two upper levels with a total built-up area of 28,000 sq m.

Service buildings feature key facilities including a public car park which consists of a basement, ground, and five upper levels, with a total built-up area of 105,000 sq m that can accommodate 3,000 cars and an emergency shelter for 300 people in the basement, said the head architect.

Staff car parking will be provided in a separate building consisting of basement, ground, and five upper levels, with total built-up area of 61,300 sq m.

According to him, the entire site will be served by a central utility plant which consists of a basement, ground, and first level, with a total built-up area of 19,300 sq m.

Speaking about the facades, Shuaib said more focus has been given to environmental and climatic designs.

"The art and design of the facades reflect the innovative and climate design proficiency of Pace of using sunlight breakers as shading means to control Kuwait’s direct harsh sunlight," he explained.-TradeArabia News Service