Works

Hospital supporting community-based health care and serving as core of community revitalization

On the northern side, a rhythmical and symbolic exterior with a continuous layout of vertically long windows was provided to make the building a new landmark near Minoshima Station. The vertically long windows were designed as picture windows that cut out a row of mountains when looking out from sickrooms. On the southern side that faces the shopping street, the building was set back to alleviate oppressiveness to the surroundings and make it open to the community. The approach is planned to guide people slowly from the atrium piloti into the building. The entrance hall is an open space full of natural light, planned to bring liveliness to the shopping street. The approach road has a stone monument with the hospital name engraved on it and the entrance hall has the walls of ceramic plate tiles, both of which were relocated from the former hospital building to inherit the history of the hospital. In the interior, wood tone parts were incorporated at various places, realizing a modern but warm-looking design. The different stories were decorated with accent colors, e.g., blue for ocean and rivers, green for mountains, pink for cherry and plum blossoms, and orange for mandarins, realizing an interior plan that gives a sense of familiarity to community residents. In addition, the improvement of seismic performance, consideration to inundation, and adoption of all-electric system were included in the design to realize a hospital that can supply safe and secure medical care to the community residents permanently.