Evelina Children's Hospital
The Evelina Children's Hospital building has a genuine 'wow' factor. Its light and open airy spaces typify modern steel buildings and the striking four-storey atrium demonstrates the aesthetic superiority of steel as a construction material.
Completed
Children played a huge part in the design ethos and asked for a place that "didn't feel like a hospital". The building had to be airy and spacious, making them feel like they were outside, which resulted in the conservatory.
The conservatory is a magnificent space starting at the third floor of the four-storey atrium, giving the benefit of stunning views. Running the entire length of the building it is a fully glazed, curved, steel-framed roof - which brings the outside right into the building.
The giant arched roof, spanning 20m high and 18m wide, is a steel gridshell made of 273mm diameter CHSs. Curved in design, the roof generates large horizontal forces, and the entire structure is tied back into the frame at third floor and roof levels.
The gridshell was built as a series of vertical trusses and was not stable until the whole frame was in place, so the entire floor area was scaffolded out during construction to support the steelwork in the temporary condition, remaining there while the glazing was fixed.
The steel was manufactured to cope with anticipated deflections, and the glazing was manufactured to fit the frame in its deflected state.
Fact file
Architect
Hopkins Architects
Structural Engineer
Buro Happold
Main Contractor
Gleeson
Steelwork Contractor
SH Structures
Developer
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
