Sheikh Khalifa Medical City
Conceived as three hospitals in one, this massive complex in the heart of Abu Dhabi by SOM combines a general hospital with medical centers for women and children. This shared-service model enhances patient care while improving efficiency. Once it is completed, the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City will be the largest hospital in the United Arab Emirates.
Town Commons © SOM
Envisioned as a ‘city within a city’, the design endeavors created a new paradigm for a medical center, one that is more like a bustling campus, with vibrant public spaces and a sense of community. Informed by historical regional precedents, the design seeks to strike a balance as a state-of-the-art vision rooted in local heritage. The design responds to, and is respectful of, the unique culture of the UAE and its demanding desert climate.
Pediatrics Lobby © SOM
The primary architectural challenge of the project was to balance the client’s desire to create distinct identities for each of the three hospitals, while maintaining an overall unified expression for the medical city. This will be achieved by developing a series of unifying and differentiating components. The medical city’s heavy stone plinth – a reference to the ancient architecture of the region – serves as a common pedestrian-scaled expression, within which the most intense medical functions will be found along with shared amenity spaces and light-filled courtyards. The roof of the plinth is home to a network of gardens that also serve to unify the bed towers that rise above. The architecture of the bed towers communicates the identity of each hospital within a common vocabulary. The exterior sun screens, which characterize the bed tower facades, vary from simple rhythm of the general hospital to playful colors and patterns of the children’s hospital to the intricate mashrabiya-inspired geometries of the women’s hospital.
Rooftop Commons view towards General Hospital © SOM
Aesthetically, the design seeks to strike a balance between the local heritage and the modernist vocabulary. Orthogonal in plan, the campus features a series of glass boxes anchored to a two-story, stone-clad plinth. Upper levels of the complex contains patient rooms, while the podium houses emergency rooms, operating theaters, the radiology department and outpatient clinics. Additionally, this base offers amenities such as cafes, shops and prayer rooms.
General Lobby © SOM
Project Info:
erda_dokaj
Erda Dokaj is an experienced intern architect and dedicated editor for Arch2O. With a strong foundation in architecture and urban planning, she brings a blend of technical expertise and artistic vision to her editorial work. Erda is known for her meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to producing high-quality content. Holding an Integrated Master’s Degree in Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Tirana, she continuously strives for perfection and is passionate about learning and applying new skills to enrich her creative projects. Through her editorial contributions, Erda inspires and educates fellow architects and design enthusiasts.
