Works

A “familiar and reliable” hospital in the community

The plan was to relocate Tsuchiya Children’s Hospital—the only hospital specializing in pediatrics in the To-ne health service area—for the purpose of enlarging its scale and strengthen its functionality to make it a base hospital for initial and secondary emergency care for children. The number of beds was increased to 40, with some being secured for use in an infectious disease room, and the plan was made to enable clear zoning. Based on the basic principle of Tsuchiya Children’s Hospital (of being a “familiar and bright, friendly and reliable, quick and appropriate, clean and safe hospital”), we pursued what a new hospital specializing in pediatrics should be. We set four entrances to the outpatient department along the “play lane” laid on the northwest side of the premises, so that people could pass through the site, clearly separated into inpatient and outpatient areas.