1961 – Our expertise in designing for healthcare begins
Winning the design competition in 1961 for Pilgrim Hospital gave us our first step into the healthcare sector. The building of the 523 bed district general hospital began in August 1967 and completed in two phases, with the last one being in 1974.
In 1962, we won the planning work for Leeds General Infirmary which led to a full interdisciplinary detail design work for the initial phases of the development in 1969.
The next major win in healthcare arrived in 1966 when we won Nottingham Teaching Hospital. It was a 1,400 bed hospital providing medical and nursing schools with staff accommodation. Initially the partners decided that a partial commission of just architecture and civil and structural engineering should be refused in the interest of remaining an integrated practice, but in the end the quantity surveying commission was also awarded.
As a practice, we have continued to build on our reputation within the healthcare sector by creating designs that pay close attention to clinical effectiveness and efficiency but they always prioritise people – patients, their visitors and the staff who care for them.
Story by Max Martin
