’ analysis of the Government estate identified the most common elements with the greatest potential to deliver the required assets – this was a precursor to the Construction Playbook’s ‘Harmonise, digitise, rationalise’ policy.
The principle of Platforms is to design to the commonalities between spaces both within and across sectors, with the result that construction can make use of a standard ‘kit of parts’.This brings a wide variety of benefits, not least flexibility.. By recognising that the space required for a treatment room can be the same as for an office, say, designing on that principle means that, should the need arise, it is easy to convert an office into a treatment room, or vice versa.
This is a rational, logical approach.. Our hospital for Circle Health in Birmingham was designed to a grid of four and eight metre spaces.While the reason for this rationalisation was to allow for flexibility and future expansion, a change in business planning meant we had to bring this requirement forward, and expand the hospital while construction was underway, but also while keeping the lower floors operational.. Rationalisation of the internal grid does not limit the options for the external appearance or the aesthetic design of the building.A Platforms approach places no constraint on the architect’s freedom to create a uniquely beautiful building that responds to its environment..
Resilience, future-proofing and sustainability.It is not enough for a hospital to be excellent when it first opens its doors..
It must also be excellent next year, in 10 years’ time and 10 years after that.
It must be able to respond not only to its own changing requirements, but those of local and neighbouring environments, populations and infrastructure.Addressing the climate emergency in construction.
Currently contributing 39% of global carbon emissions, there can be no doubt that the construction industry has a serious and urgent role to play in addressing the climate crisis.The starting point is industry collaboration — a united focus on raising the industry’s understanding, knowledge and skills in relation to sustainable building.
We need to be investing in colleges and universities, educating our young people and making sure they get the right training from the outset.We must have an industry-wide effort, focused on sustainability in design, one where we can all contribute, rather than having a few people in senior positions trying to force the issue.. We need to do more with passive design, whether it be a fully certified, Passivhaus approach, or simply using sustainable design features more generally from the start through to completion: early design stages, technical design, procurement and construction.