The Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) has just been selected to design the Jawaher Boston Medical District in Sharjah, a significant new healthcare initiative spearheaded by BEEAH, a private organization working in sustainability in the MENA region. Following a competitive selection process, RPBW's appointment marks the beginning of a project aimed at redefining the integration of healthcare excellence with environmental and cultural sensitivity.
The vision for the Jawaher Boston Medical District is rooted in creating an infrastructure that not only meets world-class healthcare standards but also seamlessly integrates with its local surroundings. By drawing on the richness of Sharjah's cultural and natural environment, the design aspires to create a space that is open, cohesive, and sustainable. This approach ensures that the hospital is not merely a place for treatment but a sanctuary of healing and calm for patients, families, and medical staff.
At the heart of the design is a commitment to transparency and connection with nature, guided by RPBW's philosophy of creating environments that prioritize light, openness, and harmony. A tree-filled park defines the site, offering patients and visitors a therapeutic natural space to enhance well-being. The hospital itself will be designed to merge with these green surroundings, with expansive windows and open layouts providing generous views of the park.
We aim to create a new model for the hospital of the future, providing a healing and sustainable environment that combines cutting-edge medical technology with a human-centered design, ensuring excellence in healthcare delivery for patients, their families, and medical staff. --Antoine Chaaya, RPBW Partner in Charge
Central to the sustainability ethos of the project is a canopy system that will encompass the hospital, fitted with photovoltaic panels to harness renewable energy. This structure will provide essential solar shading while contributing to the energy efficiency of the facility. Additionally, the landscape design will feature a diverse ecosystem of native and adapted tree species, along with layered plantings forming clearings, orchards, and groves. This approach not only enhances the aesthetic and therapeutic appeal but also improves the microclimatic conditions of the site.
Sharjah is a cultural hub in the United Arab Emirates that blends tradition with modernity and is known for promoting the arts and culture. This year, Tadao Ando has revealed the designs for a new performing arts center in Sharjah's Aljada. "II Teatro" is a 2000-seat auditorium with a gallery and an event space and will serve as a focal point within the Aljada master plan. In Dubai, Muraba and RCR Arquitectes, recipients of the 2017 Pritzker Prize, have just uunvieled Muraba Veil.