Glasgow’s PFI-procured New Stobhill Hospital, designed by Reiach and Hall Architects, has won this year’s Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award, presented at the British Construction Industry Awards (BCIA) in London. Sponsored jointly by CABE, the Office of Government Commerce, and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Award is a special category at the BCIA event.
Said to “rework the entire way in which healthcare is delivered”, New Stobhill is reportedly Scotland’s first dedicated ambulatory care and diagnostic facility. Medical tests and consultations are undertaken, and surgical patients who would normally need an overnight stay, can go home the same day. Architecturally, patients and visitors enter a glazed arcade filled with natural light. The building is easy to navigate; all departments can be pointed out from the prominent reception. Vertical circulation is at the heart, with a full-height staircase tower. Quiet waiting areas overlook larch-clad internal courtyards, and artworks are integrated throughout. Staff enjoy bright offices and a canteen with a roof terrace commanding views of the Campsie Hills. The simple structure – a four-storey north treatment block and three-storey linear south consulting block, linked by the arcade – aids efficient operation, while steel frame construction with lightweight internal partitioning should facilitate future adaptation and extension.
