M Moser Associates designed the warm, caring, patient-oriented environment for Shanghai United Family Hospital located in Shanghai, China.

After 15 years in operation, Shanghai United Family Hospital – the first United Family Healthcare (UFH) facility in Shanghai – relocated to a historic neighbourhood in Changning District, where old residential communities meet new development.

Combining expertise in architecture, interior design and MEP engineering, the M Moser team has created a JCI-standard facility, supporting UFH’s goal to provide premium, comprehensive healthcare services.

Elevating sense of community
Consisting of two four-floor, mixed-use buildings constructed in 1992, the site had been modified into a range of forms over past decades, creating an unsettling impression on the community.

Leveraging expertise in architecture and interior design, M Moser took the opportunity to transform the site into a modern healthcare facility to support the area’s urban regeneration goals. The new architecture not only supports world-class healthcare services, but establishes a compelling form to elevate its surroundings.

The new façade combines a variety of materials to create a dynamic building exterior and emphasise warmth. GRC panel walls envelope the facility, featuring customised patterns of the Chinese character “回”( “to revolve”), to symbolise the pursuit of service excellence and endless blessings to patients.

Thermal insulation materials have been adopted to provide environmental protection and minimise energy use. Aluminium panels have been installed at the top of the building, featuring round corners and louvers to soften the existing buildings, while concealing all roof equipment.

Optimising the medical process
An effectively designed circulation system creates distinct patient, staff and logistics flows, meeting medical safety requirements. Staff were engaged in rigorous medical planning studies to ensure the solution was highly responsive to complex functional needs.

Addressing site circumstances, patients’ wards have been prioritised on upper levels to increase access to natural light and reduce energy consumption. To improve space planning, rigorous daylighting performance simulation and energy use studies have been undertaken.

A human-centric, healing environment 
To address the complex needs and emotions of patients, visitors and staff, four key principles have been applied to create a healing, mood-enhancing interior; curves, nature, mood-driven details and human-scale considerations.

• Curves have been applied on surface edges to lend softness, warmth and a sense of care.
• Mood-driven details including pastel colour palettes create a homely experience, while customised graphic patterns (featuring Shanghai’s City Flower, white magnolia), reduce stress and provide creative wayfinding.
• Natural elements including wood, have been prioritised to enhance familiarity and improve healing.
• Human-scale considerations, including lowering the ceiling, enabling freedom of movement and incorporating indirect, warm lighting, enhance the human experience.
• Patient wards have been planned spaciously to enhance comfort, respect privacy during medical procedures and enable users to enjoy the company of others. Detailing, such as customised patterns, soothing colour palettes and panels that conceal bedside medical equipment reinforce the experience.

Supporting UFH’s mission to provide comprehensive, integrated healthcare in a uniquely warm, caring, patient-oriented environment – the design incorporates rigorous medical planning, striking careful synergy to enhance the human experience. Designed to JCI-standards, the facility presents a proud, revitalised architectural identity in one of Shanghai’s oldest and most populated neighbourhoods.

Architect: M Moser Associates
Photography: courtesy M Moser Associates