DIANCHI HOSPITAL
KUNMING, CHINA

In its proposal for the competition for this hospital project in China, VLA’s fundamental intention is to communicate a merger of oriental and western approaches to health care.

The buildings and landscape have been designed according to Chinese and western traditions and relate to each other like Ying and Yang, a Chinese source of inspiration that applies throughout the project.

The hospital was designed in accordance with the belief in the effects of the physical surroundings on the healing process. Important elements include local aesthetics and art, and warm, home-like, non-institutional designs that put people before machinery and technology.

Considerable emphasis has also been given to creating the best possible surroundings for hospital staff; this includes the design of special areas as “sanctuaries” for the staff.

In order to create an accessible, comfortable hospital, VLA started out from the campus model, with the hospital spreading out to become an integral part of the surrounding park.