SUPER GREEN - the International Academy of Design and Health

UK: The ‘Alex’ wins againLast year’s winner of the Design & HealthBest International Project award, the RoyalAlexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton,has scooped the UK Prime Minister’s BetterPublic Building Award. Designed by BDP, theproject was delivered by PFI consortiumKajima Partnership.US: Safety fi rstA new organisation called Patient SafetyDesign Consultants, LLC – Architecturefor Safer Healthcare has been launched toadvise medical professionals and design fi rmsabout the relationship between the physicalenvironment and its impact on the safedelivery of care. For more information, visitpatientsafetydesign.orgAustralia: Call for papersThe Australian College of Health ServiceExecutives and the University of New SouthWales’ Centre for Health Assets Australasiaare calling for abstracts for papers and postersfor the ACHSE 2009 National Congress,which will take place from 4-7 August, 2009on the Gold Coast. The deadline for abstractsfor papers and posters is 28 November andshould address the theme of ‘Building ourHealthcare System around People and theirNeeds’. More information is available at:www.achse.org.au/frameset.htmCanada: Loneliness makes you coldA team of scientists from the University ofToronto have found that social isolation canmake people feel cold. Dr Chen-Bo Zhong,who led the research, which is published inPsychological Science, said: “This may be whypeople use temperature-related metaphorsto describe social inclusion and exclusion.”Ireland: Anshen + Allen project winAnshen + Allen is part of the NorthernIreland Health Group consortium, which hasbeen appointed preferred bidder for the newacute hospital in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.The £267m scheme will be located amongwooded hills, meadows and lakes, andrepresents a genuine integration of buildingand landscape in an environmentally andsocially sustainable design.UK: HOK to design research labHOK is to design the UK Centre for MedicalResearch and Innovation (UKCMRI), whichwill be built on 3.6 acres of land, close toSt Pancras Eurostar terminal and the BritishLibrary. Set to open in 2014, it will house 1,500scientists. The lab will replace the NationalInstitute of Medical Research (NIMR).US: Vaginal birth mums sensitiveA new study has found that mothers whodelivered vaginally compared to caesareansection delivery were more responsive to thecry of their own baby, identifi ed through MRIbrain scans two to four weeks after delivery.The results of the study were published inThe Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.Bahrain: Community masterplanA masterplan for a new Water Garden City inBahrain has been revealed by designers HOK.The huge 2,200,000m 2 scheme will include thedevelopment of residential accommodation,hotels, schools and commercial, leisureand retail space for a community of up to40,000 people.UAE: New city in DubaiJapanese architectural fi rm Nikken Sekkei hasbeen appointed to design Jumeira Gardens,a new 350-billion dirham ($95.3-billion) cityin the emirate of Dubai in the United ArabEmirates (UAE). The contract was awardedto the fi rm by the government-owneddeveloper, Meraas Development.Canada: PPP win for StantecStantec has been named part of the InfusionHealth consortia contracted to deliver aC$432.5m expansion project, undertaken asa public-private partnership with the InteriorHealth Authority of British Columbia. Stantecwill provide architectural, mechanical, electrical,structural, civil and Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED) consultingservices for both the Kelowna GeneralHospital and Vernon Jubilee Hospital.US: Green credentials for designThe Parrish Healthcare Center at Port StJohn, Florida, US has received LEED Silvercertifi cation from the United States GreenBuilding Council. Designed by RTKL, thefacility’s architecture takes advantage of itsnatural surroundings and incorporates avariety of green building principles.New research publicationArup has published its fi rst Research Reviewto promote the fi rm’s research capabilities touniversities, academics, funding organisationsand clients. The publication demonstrates thequality and credibility of the fi rm’s researchcapability through case studies highlightingthe benefi ts of collaborative working andArup’s continuing impact on key researchdevelopments internationally. For moreinformation, contact: Marta Fernandez atmarta.fernandez@arup.comUS: Natural allianceHOK and the Biomimicry Guild have forged a‘fi rst-of-its-kind’ alliance linking the natural andbuilt environment. The relationship will seethe integration of nature’s innovations in theplanning and design of buildings, communitiesand cities worldwide. Established by biologistsJanine Benyus and Dr Dayna Baumeister in1998, Biomimicry is a science that studiesnature’s best ideas and imitates these designsand processes to solve human problems.Canada: Carillion team shortlistedMontgomery Sisam is a member of theCarillion Canada team which includes HOKArchitects, Vanbots Construction, Carillion/Vanbots Services Bridgepoint, and CIT GroupSecurities (Canada) and has been shortlistedto design, build, fi nance and maintain thenew Bridgepoint Hospital in Toronto. Thewinning project team will be selected in early2009 with construction of the new facilityscheduled to begin shortly after.UK: Three up for global awardThe Intermountain Medical Centre in theUS, designed by Anshen + Allen, NBBJ’sWashington Medical Center in the US andthe Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore,Ireland, designed by Murray Ó Laoire andBrian O’Connell Associates, have all beenshortlisted for the Best International Projectat the UK’s Building Better Healthcare Awards,supported by the International Academy forDesign & Health.South Africa: Nightingale new offi ceNightingale Architects (SA) has openedfor business in Cape Town. A part-ownedsubsidiary of Nightingale Associates,Nightingale Architects (SA) is 26% ownedby historically disadvantaged individuals andhas been independently verifi ed as a Level 3broad-based black economic empowerment(BBBEE) service provider.UK: Building better health e-zineBuilding Better Healthcare, in collaborationwith the International Academy for Design andHealth, has launched an electronic magazinefocusing on the planning, design, fi nancing,procurement, construction and managementof the UK healthcare estate. To download thefi rst issue, visit: www.bbhealthcare.co.ukWORLD HEALTH DESIGN | October 2008 07