Hainan Cancer Hospital: A New Perspective on Healthcare Design

Reimagining Hospital Spaces with Organic Forms and Lines

The Hainan Cancer Hospital, located in the beautiful tropical island of Hainan in South China Sea, is a response to the increasing need for cancer therapy facilities in China. The hospital's unique location makes it an ideal place for both medical care and post-medical care recuperation. The design team, led by Daniel Shi, sought to create a healing retreat for all users, a space that is soft, neutral, comfortable, and soothing.

The design process involved the use of the Ten P’s Questions technique, a method that evaluates Perception, People, Place, Process, Procedure, Path, Performance, Pleasure, Placement, and Professional aspects of the design. The team also conducted various interviews with the owner and user groups to fine-tune the type of healing environment desired. The final design shows no defined characteristic, making it a universally appealing healing retreat.

The hospital's design is characterized by its use of organic curves to soften rectangular rigidity. The interiors combine a warm hue with these organic curves and shapes, creating a feeling of being comfortably inside a living organism that soothes the mind, body, and soul. The design team faced the challenge of balancing creativity with the strict codes and regulations from sanitation department and government agency, but they successfully created a design that is both innovative and compliant.

The Hainan Cancer Hospital project started in March 2012 in Chengdu, China, and was completed in October 2015 in Beijing, China. The hospital began operation in December 2015 in Hainan. The hospital's design has been recognized for its innovation and excellence, earning a Silver A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2017.

The Hainan Cancer Hospital is a testament to the power of design in transforming healthcare spaces. By challenging traditional perceptions of what a hospital should look like, the design team has created a space that is not only functional but also comforting and soothing for patients and visitors. The hospital's design is a step forward in the evolution of healthcare design, showing that it is possible to create spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and conducive to healing.