EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Out of Hours This Hospital ... is Now Closed!

Seeing that the thread about WWII Military Hospitals has generated so much interest, I dare say that I’m not alone in having an interest not only in the design and architecture of hospitals, but also in the past glories of Victorian Britain. OK, then, have a look at this.

Notice that the (now demolished) Greenwich District Hospital at Maze Hill was famous as an example of the use of interstitial space, whereby a six-foot "walk-through" gap was provided above each level for engineering services (ducting, pipework, cabling etc.), so that maintenance work could be carried out without disturbing clinical areas. Definitely not Victorian, either. What a waste!

Hi Geoff

I notice that the Queen Charlotte's Hospital is not on the link. I only ever went to the original site a few times, the first time on a emergency vent repair when I had not even heard of it, let alone knew where it was, but I remember that it seemed to be very big, a lot bigger then the new one. They put an awful lot of flats on that site.

As for the walk through space between floors, I think the Royal Free in Hampstead has something similar but not on every floor.

Mark

The interstitial space idea is now frowned on by architects. But, there again, they don't have to actually build the hospitals do they? And I would be prepared to bet that no new PFI build will incorporate it either, as it is an expensive option. But speaking as someone who has been involved with engineering the ceiling void between so-called false ceilings and the under-slab above (think - step ladders, and aching arms and neck), I reckon they are a great concept!

By the way, for an example of a nicely executed design using service tunnels running underneath the hospital,you need look no further that the famous Northwick Park Hospital at Harrow (whose days are also numbered, I regret to say, with another abysmal piece of "modern architecture" in the pipeline).

Those of you who are keen students may like to note that interstitial space space also gets a mention in the .pdf document linked to in my recent post about "Hospital Design".

Hi Geoff,
I Remember the voids at Greenwich well having spent a fun couple of days removing the operating lights when the hospital closed!
Great item though although it's surprising how much other junk we came across (extra storage?)
Regards
Ed Bennett
Southwest Medical Ltd

Hello Mate. So the scavengers have already picked over the carrion, eh?

Also, as you removed the operating lamps, you must be in a position to vouch for the the benefits of interstitial space, then, too! A much easier job unbolting in the voids I should imagine.

Has the hospital actually been totally pulled down? Greenwich was an experimental design (it was presumed to be a run-off between Greenwich and Northwick Park as to which was to be the prototype for the future – of course, in the event, neither of them were!), and I would have thought at least a sample of it should have been preserved as yet another "monument to architects and engineers"! Anybody know what’s there now? Don’t tell me, executive housing. Bah!

Fascinating Geoff. It brings back memories of these "old" hopsitals in and around London.
I'm sure that there are lots more examples, particularly of hospitals that have been put to other uses, such as St.George's Hospital, Hyde Park Corner which is now a hotel. I remember the stables round the back of the hospital that were still used up until the 80's.
What about hospitals outside London?
Some of the ones that I know about (and worked in) were Killingbeck, Leeds; Gulson Road, Coventry and the Manor Hospital, Nuneaton.

In 1948, the Minister of Health Anuerin Bevan selected the Park Hospital at Trafford in Manchester for the official launch of the new National Health Service. Anyone know the current state of that famous hospital, later known as Trafford General?

Also, who was the first patient served by that enduring and most noble achievement of the Attlee government (the best Britain has ever had, in my humble opinion), that is the National Health Service? An easy one, that!

No wonder the NHS is in the state that it is!!! If you read the article mentioned by Geoff regarding the first patient treated under the NHS, it says that the girl in question had acute nephritis "a potentially fatal liver condition"!!!??? They couldn't even get the diagnosis right in those days.

Look after your Kidneys I say !!! Must be time for a Brew. Tee Hee