Global architects come to aid of Leeds hospital development

New architects have been selected to design a hospital for adults and a home for Leeds Children’s Hospital at Leeds General Infirmary after NHS Trust says it was unable to progress with previous partner.

In May 2021, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust completed an international design competition to appoint an architect for its Hospitals of the Future project and announced a preferred bidder in August 2021. 

However, following a period of preferred bidder engagement the trust says it “has not been able to progress these discussions.”

It instead started conversations with the US-headquartered Perkins & Will team, led by Penoyre & Prasad with Schmidt Hammer Lassen, who have now been appointed as preferred bidder.

Simon Worthington, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust director of finance and senior responsible officer for the Hospitals of the Future Project, said: “We were unable to proceed with one of our tenderers but, in accordance with good procurement practice the right thing to do was to follow due process.

“This has resulted in the Perkins and Will team being appointed as the trust’s preferred bidder to take forward this design opportunity.

“The competition process to appoint an architect was very strong with a number of international practices taking part which meant we received some exceptional concept designs.”

Daylight, views, and greenery will be incorporated in the latest concept designs with their ability to help relieve stress and support recovery.

The proposed designs will improve the links to the natural environment to promote calm and restfulness throughout the hospital environment.

Included in the latest design will be a rooftop plaza with gardens boasting local plants and trees that will be inspired by the local landscape.

Perkins & Will managing principal, Mark Rowe, said: “It’s obviously a huge privilege to be entrusted with the design of such a prominent site in one of the country’s most important cities.

“Working closely with the trust, we believe we can deliver an outstanding building that not only supports exemplary clinical care and treatment but that over time can become as cherished a part of the Leeds cityscape as George Gilbert Scott’s exemplary original hospital.”

The scheme is one of 40 new hospitals the Government has committed to build by 2030.

  • The new Leeds Children’s Hospital will, for the first time, bring all clinical services for children and young people under one roof, enabling it to expand and meet the demand for its highly specialised services.
  • A new Maternity Centre will incorporate a dedicated midwifery-led unit and co-locate all inpatient maternity services and neonatal services on one site.
  • The new adults’ hospital will provide a modern facility to enhance the clinical services currently provided. It will support patients with all aspects of their care, from those attending for an outpatient appointment or a day case surgical procedure, to those needing the most advanced specialist care and support.

A 24-bed extension to the hospital’s critical care unit will provide more capacity for treating patients – and a new ambulatory imaging unit will bring a high tech diagnostic service.

The Adult Critical Care service will provide care for a wide mix of patients and this increase in capacity will support the trust in meeting the delivery of more complex services.

The project to build a new Children’s Hospital, as well as a hospital for adult services at Leeds General Infirmary, is still at an early concept stage. Construction is planned to begin in 2023.

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