A Malaysian Hospital is on the cover of an international architectural book!
May 01, 2012
Columbia Asia Hospital–Bukit Rimau, Shah Alam was chosen to be on the front cover and the back cover of a book on medical architecture called Hospitals. This hard cover coffee table book is a compilation of hospital building designs from various countries to include USA, UK, France and Japan. It showcases sophisticated building structures and interior designs of today’s medical facilities.
Out of 40 hospitals featured from around the world, the book cover shows the facade of the Columbia Asia Hospital-Bukit Rimau building while the back cover shows a section of the children’s ward from the same hospital. Columbia Asia Group Chairman Rick Evans comments, “We’re a new company and we’re proud that our standard model is on the cover of this book.”
Taiwan-based architect, Hsu Chang-Ch (of C.C.Hsu & Associates of Architects and Engineers; NBBJ) who has devoted his life to medical architecture for 35 years, summarised the topic in the book’s opening address: “Medical architecture is growing continually and reflecting different era’s requirement.”
Q&A with the editor of Hospitals, Arthur Gao (Masters in Architecture)
- Why
was Columbia Asia chosen to be on the front cover and back cover of Hospitals?
“From the perspective of publishing, Columbia Asia’s architectural model is simple but with strong colour contrasts. It represents the design trend of a modern hospital.” - What is
your opinion of Columbia Asia’s design in terms of aesthetics, also practicality
for its consumers?
“From an aesthetic point of view, the geometrical lines reflect modernity, while its interior is about simplicity. The surrounding environment blends well with natural sunlight that streams through the building. These design elements should benefit the public in terms of friendly indoor space. The layout of the wards is functional and takes the patient's privacy into account.”
*Excerpts taken from the book Hospitals referring to the two-storey building of Columbia Asia Hospital-Bukit Rimau
- The brief asked for a hospital that does not look like a typical hospital.
- Unlike most of the conventional hospitals that try to create a vernacular or tropical architectural language, this hospital makes no attempt to follow the old paradigm hospital design in the region.
- This functional high-tech appearance aims to impart a sense of confidence in the healing technology.
- The interior design of the hospital, on the other hand, takes on a softer approach whilst maintaining a ‘homely’ feel.
- The prototype design takes the shape of an efficient rectangular shape, where generally the First floor is for patient care.
- Ground floor is dedicated to diagnostic, treatment and administrative functions.
- …all habitable floors are free of mechanical rooms, therefore reducing heat, noise and contamination risk.
Hospitals is published by Hong Kong-based Design Media Publishing Limited. It is available at Basheer Graphic Books, BB Plaza (RM145) and also online at Amazon.com.
