M Moser Associates designed the Guangzhou United Family Healthcare Hospital as a state-of-the-art facility for new standards of care in Guangzhou, China.

In 2018, M Moser’s collaboration with United Family Healthcare (UFH) has yielded the award-winning Shanghai United Family, Pudong Hospital, designed to the standards of the Joint Commission International (JCI). The year also marked the official opening of the new UFH Guangzhou Hospital, the first of its kind in Southern China that offers comprehensive healthcare services in line with US medical practice standards.

One of the key project objectives of the UFH Guangzhou Hospital was to bring world-class healthcare services to patients in Guangzhou and beyond, enabled by UFH’s international standard facility and high-quality experience. The other focus was to integrate the medical planning concepts of different regions, establishing an exemplary healthcare facility to support the synthesis of Chinese and Western medical practices.

A heart-warming experience
Since 2014, M Moser has worked closely with UFH’s management and medical teams in Beijing and Shanghai, gaining a meticulous understanding of its Guangzhou facility’s space needs, rigorously defined by its American-standard medical system. Early engagement laid solid foundations and provided a guiding framework for subsequent interior architecture and space planning services.

With a project area of over 699,400 sq. ft, the UFH Guangzhou Hospital is equipped with 200 beds. To transform the space and create a comfortable healing environment, M Moser implemented the following four design concepts: Curve, Nature, Mood, and Human scale.

Cultivating a tranquil atmosphere
Patients bring complex emotions into a hospital. Entrance areas have the opportunity to aggravate or alleviate these feelings, often without conscious realisation.

To cultivate a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere upon entry, the outpatient hall is installed with a three-storey-high stone wall engraved with Chinese calligraphy, reading “Cherishing the peace and health of neighbours and thousands of families”. Providing comfort and blessing, the message also defines and communicates UFH’s brand spirit.

M Moser replaced the old building patios with corridors, waiting areas and other public spaces, maximising daylight to help create a sense of calm amongst patients and their families.

Materials and woodgrain textures, normally used in households, are prioritised throughout the space, supported by warm, yellow lighting to exude a sense of intimacy and comfortable familiarity.

Unique departments with unique characteristics
As UFH’s largest hospital in China, the Guangzhou facility offers a full range of healthcare services including traditional Chinese medicine. It also features specialty services such as Family Medicine, Integrated Family-friendly Birthing Suites, Postpartum Rehabilitation and a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, pioneering the integrated diagnosis and treatment model of Chinese and Western medical practices.

Planned and designed specifically to individual needs, each department displays unique characteristics. In the Pediatrics Department, for instance, while distinct boundaries exist between reception, waiting and play areas, the department as a whole offers a cohesive, coordinated experience through consistent design detailing.

To reduce anxiety and encourage better treatment results, yellow and green have been selected as the main colours for the Pediatrics Department for their distinctive, warm qualities. Patterns of animals and fictional characters feature throughout, while animal-shaped examination tables help boost mental well-being. The main aim for this space was to create the most comfortable environment in which young patients can receive the necessary treatment.

Each department has its own spacious, accessible, multi-purpose area, providing a casual setting for small gatherings, meetings and social events.

Architect: M Moser Associates
Photography: Vitus Lau