Cleveland ClinicA Transformation in Central London

To convert an existing office building into a 200-bed private health care clinic for outstanding inpatient care, with private bedroom and ensuite facilities, eight operating theatre suites, and a diagnostic and imaging centre. The central location of the building behind Buckingham Palace called for a thoughtful approach that respects the sensitive conservation areas that surrounded the site, as well as the royal household.

Working closely with Cleveland Clinic, HKS took the outlined clinical brief and developed it to maximise the clinical accommodations offered within the confines of the existing building. Aligning with the client’s principles that place the patients in the heart of their operation, HKS worked hard to reflect this thinking on the internal organization of the building. The overall layout adopts a principle of carefully segregating the public and visitor circulation from the routes used for clinical movement. Public and family spaces are located close to central public lifts for ease of access. Outpatient and day facilities are located on separate floors, away from inpatient wards. The building organization had to adapt in line with the new life of the building. A new structural solution has been incorporated to work with the clinical functions and new arrangements made for plant equipment suitable for a health care facility. HKS worked in conjunction with PLP Architecture on the project.

The project restored much of the original architectural features of the neo-classical building that had been removed as part of an extensive renovation in the 1990s. To achieve the client’s clinical brief, the existing building had to be completely reconfigured while the façade was retained and carefully refurbished with new windows installed, and a new approach to the building established.