An old, rural hospital with narrow corridors and poor sanitation has been replaced with a homely healthcare centre with secluded gardens, spectacular views, and light, airy corridors.
Over 15 years, community groups, local councillors, staff and patients were consulted on Bonar Bridge’s new Migdale Hospital, a 22-bed facility opened in 2011.
The community hospital, which serves the rural Sutherland area, has an older adult mental health assessment unit, a GP acute unit, and outpatient services including physiotherapy and audiology.
What this case study covers:
Involving the community in the design
The project involved wide engagement with community groups, local councillors, staff, patients, and patient representatives – including several community consultation events.
When landscaping funds were cut, a local community group stepped in to develop the garden design, with a view to developing the garden over a number of years.
Members of staff – nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists – were part of the project team. They felt encouraged to take part and influence change.
“The experience we had with the client was fantastic. They were very knowledgeable, but they also made a point of involving the wider stakeholders and the community. The early design team meetings had 15 to 20 people at them, and everyone had an input into the design process”
Patient benefits
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Good location: The building is close to the local GP practice and day care facilities, with good travel links to routes through Sutherland.
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Spectacular views: Bedrooms have spectacular, uninterrupted views over the Kyle of Sutherland through full height windows.
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Natural ventilation and daylight: A light and airy corridor provides inpatients with more space for wandering, chance social interaction, and quiet moments of reflection.
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Garden space: Patients have access to a secluded and well-used garden space, which gets a good amount of sun and is complete with vegetable growing areas.
“They loved it in the summer. One chap was growing his own veg!”
Sustainability approach
Solar panels provide renewable energy and revenue to the facility for generating its own electricity (what is called a ‘feed-in tariff’).
A low-tech approach involved sourcing local materials, maximising natural ventilation and daylight, and ensuring a well-insulated building fabric.
Header image credit: John Paul Photography
Related case studies
We have more case studies on healthcare facilities available on our website. These case studies cover a broad range of projects ranging from hospitals to dental practices.
