The development is comprised of a rapid-build Radiology Department. It was designed to address essential Covid works to allow the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) to remain a Covid receiving hospital.
The project consists of a three-storey hospital expansion on a prominent urban corner in Cork City and comprises a diagnostic and interventional radiology suite that caters primarily to day cases. It is designed to the highest clinical standards informed by the relevant HBN and HTM healthcare design guidelines in addition to Part M regulations. Universal design was at the core of the approach, with the principles of the ‘Dementia Friendly Hospitals from a Universal Design Approach’ 2018 guidelines applied whenever feasible. This is particularly important as the patient cohort that will attend the new building will frequently include elderly and vulnerable users. It provides clinical, office and support spaces for the Radiology Department including five Ultrasound Rooms. To meet the need for an accelerated timeline an off-site modular approach was adopted. This method reduced the time on site along with the overall weight of the building. This brought down the size of the foundations needed compared to a traditional build, therefore reducing the associated carbon content.
Urban Health & Wellbeing were at the centre of the design. MUH has an established reputation for providing much needed healthcare services for the community at large. The expansion was designed to transform the patient experience for those attending the diagnostic and interventional Radiology Service and ensure its continued delivery in a new quality environment. A contemporary architectural palette of dark fiber-cement cladding, glazing and brick juxtaposes against the traditional materials of the adjacent historic structures.
Internally the spaces were kept bright, white, and airy with dark accents that reference the exterior façade – knitting together inside and out.
A large portion of the project incorporated the use of Modern Methods of Construction and Design for Manufacture & Assembly (DfMA); for example, fully volumetric premanufactured modules which arrived on site fully insulated with windows and airtightness pre-installed. The Pre-Manufactured Value (PMV) of the contract was estimated at approx. 90% of the overall contract. The project was designed and delivered using BIM Level 3 throughout construction.
LocationCork
ClientMercy University Hospital
ServiceArchitectural Services
Area800 sqm
Value€5.2 million
StatusCompleted
PerformanceBER A2
