RADBOUDUMC MAIN BUILDING. THE NEW FACE OF THE CAMPUS IN NIJMEGEN, THE NETHERLANDS
Author: a group of architects of the EGM company
The new main building at Radboudumc University Medical Center offers a friendly and warm welcome to its visitors and staff. The completion of the construction of the building is an important step in the history of the medical institution, as the building became a kind of functional transition to the new medical campus after more than 30 years of operation of the center.
“We challenged studio EGM to do something special here, and they succeeded fantastically” – René Bleecker, director of the Radboudumc construction project office.
In an 11-story building with an area of about 46,000 m², the designers of the EGM architects company managed to rationally combine a large amount of daylight, picturesque views of the outskirts of the city with a functional architectural volume, creating a green and healing environment for visitors. Interaction, collaboration and sharing of experience are key qualities in design, and this is where the mission of “Radboudumc” comes to life: sustainable collaboration for personalized care that benefits public health.
Promising due to adaptive design
The mission of Radboudumc is to be a leader in the formation of a sustainable, innovative and affordable healthcare sector. The new main building perfectly supports this goal. Especially in combination with other recent renovations and new developments by EGM Architects, the new main building forms the heart of the green campus and ushers in an era of sustainable development for the center in the future. The clear layout of the main building with strategically placed service and logistics spaces, intelligently adapted audiovisual facilities and integrated technological innovations offers the necessary planning freedom for different specializations. This special adaptive capacity creates the basis for a pleasant, sustainable and long-term use of the building. It also guarantees that specialists of various professions will feel comfortable and cozy in any corner of the building. And it enables hospital visitors and staff to provide and receive personalized and innovative medical care now and in the future.
Architecture that supports and stimulates
The architecture of the new main building is a modern interpretation of the style of the Bossche school, which clearly resonates the distinctive qualities of the Radboudumc: humanism, human scale, connection with nature and the “character” of the place (couleur locale). The familiar and authentic form of architecture supports the identity of Radboudumc and harmoniously combines with the existing monumental buildings – in the style of the Bossche school – on the campus. The understated design is based on ideal dimensions derived from the golden ratio. Although some of the floors are the size of a football field, they never seem huge, but rather soothing and familiar. The dimensions, clear spatial composition and circulation effectively contribute to the well-being and health of healthcare professionals and patients.
Always light, always views
Plenty of daylight, views of courtyard gardens from everywhere and spectacular views make every space enjoyable. Work and rest in natural light – throughout the day – supports the biorhythm and is crucial for physical and mental recovery.
A seven-story high central atrium “draws” daylight into the heart of the building. Mature trees and green plants bring nature indoors. Stepped dispensaries, receptions and a restaurant are located behind a glass facade that smoothly transitions into a glazed roof. This makes nature visible and tangible at the same time. Dynamic lighting levels play an important role in creating a pleasant and healthy indoor microclimate.
The most stable hospital in Western Europe
The project meets the strictest requirements of sustainable development and is the first university medical center in the Netherlands to receive the BREEAM Excellent certificate.
In addition, it received the highest score among all hospitals. The main building boasts a material-saving core structure, thin floor slabs, numerous prefabricated components, 700 m² of solar panels on the roof, a heat storage system, as well as water-saving measures.
Also, the building does not use fossil fuels for its operation. In addition, biophilic design has been applied, and internal processes and equipment purchases have been organized taking into account the principles of sustainable development and health care. Together, all design solutions and innovations make this hospital the most sustainable in Western Europe.
“The new building is the most environmentally sustainable hospital building in Western Europe” – Bertin Lahuis, CEO of Radboudumc.
Interaction happens naturally
The main building facilitates a new way of working and collaborating. Instead of traditional departments, there are eleven hubs that allow professionals, patients and students to interact more easily, helping them shape the healthcare of tomorrow. You can meet to communicate, share experiences and inspire each other in the open restaurant downstairs, in the storerooms on the floors above, in the spaces for consultations, master classes and training in the personnel departments. And also in living rooms and rest rooms located next to departments and scattered throughout the medical center. All these well-equipped centers, where comfort and technology are combined, are essential for the exchange of ideas in an academic environment.
Cooperation of specializations under one roof
The main building houses a polyclinic, nursing departments, personnel departments, as well as centers for neurology, ENT (ears, throat, nose), ophthalmology, and internal medicine.
All these specializations were previously housed in separate buildings. The main reception and preparation rooms are located on the first floor. Spacious consultation and examination rooms are built in such a way that they can be used by doctors of various specialties.
The nursing units have more than 150 single rooms with large windows and separate sanitary rooms. Each ward also has a place where a relative or carer can stay overnight. Such wards are designed for different forms of use that reflect different phases of the patient’s recovery. They are managed by a smart hospital system that allows the ward to be adapted to the patient’s wishes. The layout of each department encourages people to move more, walking through the corridors or visiting the central living room, green roof gardens.
In line with the Radboudumc Medical Center concept, which has been under development since 2014, the new campus consists of one large park that brings together patients, visitors, staff and students. The radical redevelopment of the area responds to the desire to reduce the number of built-up square meters and create a more efficient, more individualized and more sustainable health care, with a new main building at the center of attention.
Award for the team
King Willem-Alexander opened the new main building in festive style. A well-deserved award for the work of the countless individuals and organizations involved who together shaped the ambitions of Radboudumc. The design was carried out by EGM architects and EGM interiors in collaboration with the Radboudumc Building Project Office and Suzanne Holz Studio.
The consulting group included Deerns, Aronsohn, Peutz, DGMR and ptg advies. Construction was supervised by the FourCare consortium (Van Wijnen, Trebbe, Unica and Engie).
Project information
Setting: Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Area: 45,000 sq.m.
Year of construction completion: 2022
Design office: EGM architects
