Laing O’Rourke finish in Brighton

The trauma center at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, designed by BDP, is now operational as part of the initial phase of the government’s £20 billion New Hospital Programme.

Laing O’Rourke has successfully constructed this 13-story facility, named the Louisa Martindale Building, which is projected to accommodate over 100,000 patients annually. The center offers expanded capacity for specialties in high demand, including neurosciences, stroke services, and intensive care.

This achievement signifies the conclusion of the first stage of the 14-year ‘3 Ts’ initiative, aimed at introducing teaching, trauma, and tertiary care resources to the region. The building not only houses new diagnostic and theater capabilities but also features state-of-the-art scanning equipment, such as MRIs and CT scanners, for the imaging department.

The architectural team at BDP, led by Architect Director Enzo Guddemi, navigated intricate discussions with local planning authorities and Historic England to seamlessly integrate the large-scale hospital structure within Brighton’s restricted and historically significant site. Each patient room offers southern exposure, affording views over the English Channel. Enzo Guddemi explains that the design of the Louisa Martindale building prioritizes creating a soothing and comforting environment to bolster the exceptional care provided by the Trust.

Remarkably, this accomplishment coincides with the recent announcement by the government of a £20 billion revitalization of the New Hospital Programme. This reinvigorated effort includes the addition of five new hospitals to the original roster of 40 hospitals pledged by Boris Johnson in 2019.

In a bid to expedite the projects by 25%, the government confirmed in May its intention to implement a modular design approach named ‘Hospital 2.0’ for the programme’s endeavors.

Gavin Body, Project Leader at Laing O’Rourke, expressed that the Royal Sussex County building “has the potential to revolutionize the approach of medical professionals in caring for their patients.” He commends his team for their unwavering dedication, both during the pandemic and beyond.

The project’s second phase is now in progress, focusing on the establishment of the Sussex Cancer Centre and emergency department. Throughout the initial phase, the town planning team led intricate negotiations concerning the intricate Section 106 Agreement and planning stipulations. This team continues to provide consultation on behalf of the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, spanning the subsequent stages of the project.

The inauguration of the trauma unit closely follows BDP’s achievement in May – the completion of the new £150 million Paterson building for the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester.

Moreover, the practice received approval earlier this week for a £65 million expansion of Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital. This accomplishment comes in conjunction with the practice’s success in gaining approval for a new £150 million entrance building for Great Ormond Street Hospital in Camden back in February.