Daiichi Hospital by Tetsuya Matsumoto is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 A' Design Award de Prata in Deseño de Arquitectura, Edificación e Estruturas Competition Category.

PrataArquitectura· 2024

Daiichi Hospital

by Tetsuya Matsumoto

Client: Daiichi Hospital

A' Design Award de Prata Winner in Arquitectura Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #161228

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Colors

The Design

About Daiichi Hospital

Daiichi é un edificio hospitalario situado na cidade de Himeji, Xapón. A estrutura de sete plantas substitúe un bloque anterior e alberga cen camas. Unha fachada porosa trátase como unha lámina fina e repítese en varias capas, o que lle dá profundidade ao edificio e suaviza a imaxe pesada que adoita asociarse á arquitectura hospitalaria. A esquina en capas responde á forma angular do terreo e sinala a entrada principal. As superficies brancas empréganse para suxerir limpeza e tranquilizar os pacientes. Unha retícula de vigas e piares metálicos sostén o edificio e cumpre as estritas normas de seguridade sísmica.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Prata

Daiichi Hospital gañou o A' Design Award de Prata, un recoñecemento enormemente prestixioso outorgado a deseños de gama alta, fermosos e impresionantes. Os gañadores Prata son obras tremendamente brillantes e sumamente creativas que ilustran a pericia, o talento e a agudeza sobresaíntes dos seus deseñadores. Espérase que Daiichi Hospital sexa unha obra marabillosa, escaparate de oficio, notablemente profesional e profundamente innovadora. Este deseño gañador do A' Design Award de Prata é unha invención moi notable e admirada que beneficia e fai avanzar os límites da arte, a ciencia, o deseño e a tecnoloxía. Daiichi Hospital é unha creación moi envexada que esperta desexos, achega sentimentos positivos e prende asombro e marabilla.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The new replacement building for Himeji Daiichi Hospital is built next to the late 1960s block that is planned to be demolished after moving to the new building. The idea behind this project is to bring some modernity and lightness to the old institution and to change the heavy monolithic image of hospital buildings. This is done by creating a porous facade that is treated as a sheet and repeated to create the depth of the building.
Dimensions & Packaging: Gross Built Area: 2239sqm
W55100mm x D29777mm x H29910
Tags: Japan, hospital, white, reception, green, architecture, interior, medical, clinic, reception
Production Technology: The 7 stories building is supported by a grid of metallic beams and pillars. Since Japan is prone to earthquakes the building is design with extra safety measure. The facade is covered by cladding panels from KMEW. The interior is built using drywall techniques and was finished with a variety of materials including tiles, vinyl floor, vinyl wall cloth, wooden panels, platina panels, melamine board, and mirrors.
Design Challenge: The challenge of this project is to design and build a fully functional 100 beds hospital that responds to the newest Japanese regulations regarding earthquake and fire safety, using a very limited budget and yet produce a space that tends more towards hospitality rather then medical. Finding the middle ground between small luxury, efficiency, cost effectiveness, limited footprint, and extremely regulated spaces.
Research: The main challenge with this project is to break up with the monolithic block representative of modern hospitals and shift the interior towards a more anxiety free hospitality driven spaces. While aiming to achieve this the design needed to still obey the very strict healthcare functionality of a modern hospital and keep the tight budget under control. The available land area had an irregular shape creating efficiency complications that needed to be overcome.
Inspiration: The design was inspired by its site. the shape of the available land area and its angular position toward the main road inspired the repetition of the main facade in several layers as a corner treatment that would be an eye catcher for the people driving along the road but also for the pedestrians walking by. The white color dominance is inspired by the cleanliness, the hygiene, and its psychological effect on the patients.
Project Duration: Project start: July 2018.
Construction starts: December 2021.
Project/Construction End: March 2023.

Location:
Himeji City, Japan.
Operation Flow: The entrance opens to the reception counter followed by to the waiting area that faces a series of consulting and treatment rooms. It also contains medical imaging area and an emergency area also accessible from a dedicated entrance. The second floor is occupied by the dialyzes room, operating area, and dispensing services. The following floors are for the inpatient rooms. The sixth floor houses the rehabilitation room, the kitchen and dining areas, and offices. The seventh floor is technical.
Team Members: Tetsuya Matsumoto
Image Credits: Image #1: photographer ©Nacasa & partners Inc, Daiichi Hospital, 2023.
Image #2: photographer ©Nacasa & partners Inc, Daiichi Hospital, 2023.
Image #3: photographer ©Nacasa & partners Inc, Daiichi Hospital, 2023.
Image #4: photographer ©Nacasa & partners Inc, Daiichi Hospital, 2023.
Image #5: photographer ©Nacasa & partners Inc, Daiichi Hospital, 2023.