Architects for Health host European Health Design Congress with Salus
The 2024 European Healthcare Design Congress, organized by SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange in collaboration with Architects for Health, was hailed as the best-ever event of its kind. Held from June 10-12 at the Royal College of Physicians in London, the congress built on the strengths of previous years to deliver a fascinating, challenging, and gripping experience. Despite some last-minute changes due to purdah, the event featured numerous highlights that captivated the attendees. Fleet Architects’ director, Jaime Bishop, was honored to chair Session 17, which featured an impressive presentation on the North Zealand Hospital by Alfonso Miguel Caballero of Herzog & de Meuron, showcasing an acute hospital design that combined serious healthcare architecture with beauty and care for patients and staff (Salus Global) (Salus).
Session 17 also included insightful contributions from Moritz Spellenberg and Deirdre Foley Woods, who discussed the intricate brief development for their work with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. This session underscored the importance of a robust brief and its adherence in successful healthcare design projects. The session’s impact was further enhanced by the forensic analysis of problematic PFI projects by Paul Yeomans and Mungo Smith, which served as a cautionary tale for clients. The congress opened with the theme of “Natural Intelligence” and included a stark contrast between Professor Shafi Ahmed’s futuristic vision and Mariana Svirchuk’s humbling account of work in Ukraine, reminding participants of the complex human elements in healthcare (Healthcare Portal).
The congress concluded with the highly anticipated European Healthcare Design Awards ceremony. Jaime Bishop, who served on the judging panel for the sub-25k sqm category, highlighted the strength of the shortlisted projects. The Catkin Centre by Cullinan Studio and the Oak Cancer Treatment Center by BDP were notable mentions, but the top prize was awarded to Kaunitz Yeung for the Yutjuwala Djiwar Aged Care project, praised for its sensitive and generous response to a unique brief. The ceremony also honored John Cooper with the Susan Francis Design Champion Award, recognizing his significant contributions to healthcare design. The event concluded on a high note, leaving attendees inspired and looking forward to next year’s congress (Salus Global) (Salus).
