Indraprastha Apollo Hospital | New Delhi

The Indraprastha Apollo Hospital is a collaborative project of the renowned Apollo hospitals and the Delhi Development Authority. It spreads over 15 acres of prime land in South Delhi. Prior to the initial conceptualisation, the architects conducted extensive research into various facets of hospitals and the primary design deliberations gave a serious thought towards the Indian social milieu. In the Indian scenario, the families are close knit and most patients are often accompanied by their relatives. This social context was totally ignored by most of the previous hospital designs in the subcontinent and creating an appropriate outpatient environment was never a priority. Responding to this background, the architects arrived at the core idea of creating a central spine atrium plaza from which the entire design set off.

The design made a conscious attempt to prioritise the needs of the users and establish an environment that is more humane, pleasant and most of all conducive to rejuvenation and relaxation. The peaceful dispositionis especially reflected in the central atrium, which has several landscape elements. It is a vast sky lit area, dotted with wrought iron tables and chairs evocative of garden furniture. This pedestrian atrium enlivens the hospital with an almost street-like atmosphere.The flexible setting allows ample space for patients and visitors to relax, eat their lunch, take a breather or catch a quick nap.The plan is also an early example of the central circulation spine used as an organisational device in Indian hospital designs. The two major blocks of the hospital are connected by this atrium of huge volume,which acts as the large waiting area.The Outpatient departments and diagnostics flank the atrium on both sides. The less complex outpatient department is separated by the pedestrian atrium from the complex acute care, diagnostic and in patient areas. The design was also primarily conceived as a tower on podium structure with all its services in basement; clinical and treatment zones on ground and immediate upper floors while keeping all the nursing zones in upper floors. The outpatient department is a self-contained unit that obviates the need of the day-care patient entering the main hospital building as far as possible.

Segregating the outpatient department from the rest of the hospital has eased the pressure on the hospital machinery while making the whole hospital experience simpler, faster and more convenient for the outpatient. The in patient wards have cross-ventilation and every bed has a visual connection to the outdoors. The wards are grouped reassuringly around a central nurses stationand are placed above the clinical zone in the podium. The clinical zone consisting of the diagnostic and acutecareareas are located with the operation theatres and set within deep-spanned, podium floor, on top of a double basement housing the complex support zone consisting of the various services. Throughout the complex the aim has been to deinstitutionalise the spaces by the use of bold, vivacious colours and patterns, thereby establishing a cheerful atmosphere and a feeling of a home away from home. The external manifestation of the modern structure aims to break down the complexity normally inherent in such large institutional spaces.The simplistic geometry oriented form is an incredibly powerful expression of technologically advanced facility.