A new modern concourse bringing all outpatient receptions into one location
Chesterfield Royal Hospital wanted a new modern concourse that brought all the outpatient receptions into one location. The brief specified that the concourse should feel more like a hotel or airport terminal than a typical hospital main entrance, so The Manser Practice were approached because of our experience in these sectors.
The existing concourse was too small, dark, draughty and disorientating, with wrong patient groups in the wrong areas.
After identifying the requirements of the brief we presented a series of options to the client, one of which incorporated an underused courtyard adjacent to the site. This option was selected as it fully met the brief and we designed a lightweight ETFE roof to incorporate this area into the project. This allowed natural light to flood into the new concourse, creating essential seating areas and freeing up space for staff offices, an enlarged café area and new private spaces for confidential conversations. A variety of seating areas were designed to cater for a range of patients and visitors, and a new reception desk was centralised to form a focal point for patients entering the hospital, also improving security by maximising staff visibility.
Enclosed corridors were opened up to create views into an existing landscaped area, and ceiling heights were raised to encourage natural light further into the concourse.
