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Architects: EGM architecten
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Photographs:Courtesy of EGM architecten
Text description provided by the architects. The new Erasmus MC, in the centre of Rotterdam, is under construction. It was a deliberate choice to keep the new hospital in the heart of the city and not to construct it in the outskirts. Now a hospital is rising up with its urban building structure, adding a number of green spaces to the city.
As far as the design and facilities are concerned, the Erasmus MC will be able to fully meet expectations by putting its main focus on the independence and well-being of the patient. With this in mind, the structure of the new medical centre is divided into sections, each based on a number of patient themes, stretching out from an atrium that forms the centre of each theme. This design provides a logical format in which all the coordinating treatment areas are close together, making it easy for the patients to find their way around.
A large glass roof forms the back-bone of the structure and connects the new medical centre with the existing faculty building, providing a bright open space and a clear orientation. A robust framework of columns together with the large rambling floor spaces allow for uncomplicated changes in the use of levels and hospital functions.
Moreover, the interior of the building is separated from the structural design so that the latest insights and technical developments can be included. This makes the Erasmus MC a building of, and for, the future – where the building has been both literally and figuratively built around the care of the patient.
