Hospitable

Designing a complex building such as a hospital needs both insight and experience. Functionality is key, but design also plays an important role.

The brief for Opus Architecture and Chow:Hill architects when designing Christchurch Women's Hospital was to create a modern building consistent with its primary function - delivering new life and world class women's health services.

The project was a joint venture between the two companies. Opus principal architect Colin Corsbie says the company's experience is well suited to such a project.

"Opus has a proven track record in designing, documenting and managing the construction of large institutional buildings, and we also have good knowledge of the local construction industry."

The challenge was to give the new hospital an identity of its own while successfully integrating it with the existing hospital buildings. The site was very restricted, and the design needed to take into consideration the impact on the historic nurses' chapel in the foreground of the site. Each facade of the building was specifically designed to suit its orientation, with different passive control treatments incorporated on each.

For details, contact Opus Architecture, PO Box 1482, Christchurch, phone (03) 363 5400, fax (03) 365 7858, mobile 0274 772 452. Email: colin.corsbie@opus.co.nz. Website: www.opus.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas