Midea Heyou: A New Era of Health-Centric Architecture

Unveiling Bai Yu's Award-Winning Hospital Design Inspired by Nature

Bai Yu's inspiration for the Midea Heyou International Hospital is deeply rooted in the ancient Lingnan water townscape of Shunde. The design aims to create a 'garden hospital' that lives in harmony with nature. By incorporating landscape features such as courtyards and sky gardens, the hospital brings sunlight, fresh air, and greenery into its structure, making it resemble an urban garden. The theme of nurture and growth, intrinsic to nature, is beautifully reflected in the design, allowing the building to grow into nature.

What sets the Midea Heyou International Hospital apart is its shift from a traditional 'treatment-led' approach to a 'health-led' one. The hospital is designed to be accessible to the entire community, applicable to the whole life cycle, and cover the entire medical spectrum. Bai Yu's design is committed to enhancing the artistic aspects of medical buildings, creating an art gallery-like experience within a healing environment. The design also integrates advanced energy-saving technologies, setting a new trend for future hospitals, ensuring its medical foresight, and making it more people-friendly.

The hospital's design realization technology is a testament to the integration of technological innovation and the return of technology to nature. The design adopts cutting-edge structural design and materials to reduce energy consumption and create a zero-carbon emission hospital. The roof integrates curtain wall and photovoltaic/solar energy systems, signifying the return of technology to nature. The main facade adopts a dia-grid structural system, a high-tech approach to construction, creating a unique identity in the medical and health sector.

The Midea Heyou International Hospital is located in Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China. Design work commenced in 2020, and construction began in early 2021. The hospital is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, with the official opening and operation expected in 2024. The project covers a total site area of 152,234sqm, with a total GFA of about 260,000sqm in phase I and a total planned GFA of about 380,000sqm in the long term.

The design of the hospital faced several challenges, particularly the constant changes in medical processes and equipment. Bai Yu's solution was a more structured layout and a modular 'plug-in' design that can adapt to these changes. The innovation and challenge of medical architecture are reflected in the project's 'whole life cycle' architectural concept, where design is not aimed at the current optimum of building and function, but rather at adapting to the changing use and function of the hospital.

In conclusion, the Midea Heyou International Hospital is a testament to the power of design in transforming healthcare. By integrating nature, technology, and a health-centric approach, Bai Yu has created a hospital that is not just a place for treatment, but a space for healing and growth. This innovative design has rightfully earned Bai Yu a Silver A' Design Award, marking a new era in health-centric architecture.