The new Woodlands Integrated Healthcare Campus in Singapore meets this need with a state-of-the-art healthcare centre that includes a new acute care hospital, community hospital and nursing home that are planned to be built on a 7.7-hectare site, and are designed to fulfil the principles for health-promoting planning and architecture, with integrated parks and green belts. Overall, the new campus will provide 1,800 beds – 1,400 for emergency and reconvalescent care, and 400 for long-term care.
The proposal is based on the wish to create a healthcare complex that provides optimum conditions for restorative and recreational care. From an aerial view, the focus has been on creating visual interaction between the green belt to the west and the characteristically hilly landscape that extends into the site from the south. The space under the hilly landscape will be used for parking spaces in a structure that will be completed with soil fill - as the basis for an integrated green park that will also serve as a noise barrier against the surrounding roads. The green belt will extend all through the hospital, bringing light and a green aspect right into the heart of the hospital. This will also ensure welcoming and simple wayfinding, whereby various patients pass directly from the arrival area to the specific function areas.
Overall, the hospital is defined by a clear structure consisting of four principal user communities. Each area has a courtyard space that is customised to the needs of the wide range of different users and the atmosphere of each section - with an emphasis on individualised use and clear ownership.
High priority is given to sustainability and energy efficiency and the new complex is expected to achieve a Green Mark Platinum Award under the BCA environmental standard.