The new Finchley Memorial Hospital provides a contemporary, fit-for-purpose healthcare environment set within a landscaped health campus. The scheme offers opportunities for general wellbeing for both hospital users and the wider community through its range of outdoor spaces including a memorial garden, playing fields, therapy gardens and communal green. The new site, adjacent to the old hospital, rejuvenates a previously inaccessible area providing new healthcare and outdoor green spaces for the wider community. The site has been laid out to actively encourage pedestrian and cycle movement with cars and service vehicles kept to limited areas only. In the parking areas, there are recharging facilities for electric vehicles. Pedestrian routes through the site have been developed in consultation with the Local Authority, Secured by Design and accessibility advisors to encourage passive surveillance and to ensure safe and enjoyable access for all. The building has been positioned on site to maximise the benefits of outdoor space. Patient bedrooms and social areas are located to benefit from the views across the surrounding green space. Inpatients can also enjoy use of outdoor balconies and terraces as well as a therapy garden with its variety of surfaces and textures that promote rehabilitation. As a result of extensive consultation with the local community, League of Friends and the Royal British Legion, the memorial aspect of the existing hospital was retained through the incorporation of a quiet memorial garden with a newly commissioned sculpture. Memorial plaques and other memorabilia from the old hospital are being relocated to either the new building or set within the new landscaping. The inclusion of three five-a-side football pitches is situated to enable use by the neighbouring primary school that currently has limited outdoor facilities. An extensive arts programme was established for the new building. Externally, a local arts group was invited to create a mosaic for the central courtyard and The League of Friends commissioned a local sculptor to create an installation to act as a centrepiece for the new memorial garden at the heart of the health campus. The scheme has achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. Through its use of innovative sustainable strategies, the building has already featured as one of only 20 projects in the RIBA Healthy Buildings exhibition. The project also features as a case study in the Department of Health’s publication ‘Tomorrow’s Healthcare Environments – towards a sustainable future’. Specialist NHS sustainability experts, SHINE (Learning Network for Sustainable Healthcare Buildings) formed part of the advisory team to ensure the incorporation of aspects relating to sustainable communities, as well as the inclusion of energy-efficient strategies. These include enhanced U-values in the building fabric, thermal mass, solar shading, water and electricity saving technologies together with a range of renewable energy strategies, such as an array of photovoltaic panels on the roof. These strategies will lead to reduced energy costs of less than half the current cost. The building was developed by considering life-cycle costs to ensure that initial specifications provide long-term value. Green roofs have been provided to both the energy centre and the second floor roof. Whilst the clinical zones are subject to stringent environmental controls, the second floor staff areas benefit from the use of exposed concrete ceilings to allow thermal mass cooling of the building at night. The outdoor areas will include large lawn spaces with wildflower meadows along the perimeter. The design has been developed in order to enhance the site ecology and biodiversity. Regarding transport, travel plans have been produced with the aim of reducing the number of hospital-related vehicular trips. This equates to a 13% car parking reduction target and is supported by secure staff and visitor cycle storage and associated changing and showering facilities. There are also recharging facilities in the car park for electric vehicles. Finchley Memorial Hospital is an integral part of the PCT’s commitment to making local health services meet the future needs of the residents of Barnet, as well as to provide a focal point for the community. As part of the broadening health agenda at a regional level, the building contains general group and meeting spaces, as well as gym areas that are available to local groups to further assist in local community integration. The café has been positioned at the front of the building with independent access so that pedestrians through the site can enjoy the use of its facilities. The scheme involved extensive consultation with staff, patients and the wider community. Due to the project’s significance, the Department of Health, NHS London, the GLA and Sport England were also involved in the stakeholder process. A number of public meetings were held prior to the submission of the planning application. Feedback at each meeting was carefully reviewed and incorporated wherever possible, for example, the incorporation of a green acoustic barrier to prevent noise overspill to neighbouring properties. During the design development of the internal areas, patient representatives formed part of the project team. The bespoke wayfinding strategy and signage was developed through a student competition at local and Central London colleges. To keep the local community informed of progress throughout the project duration, a time lapse webcam was available on the Primary Care Trust’s website. Regular update meetings were also held on site to enable discussion between the client, contractor and the site’s immediate residential neighbours. Tours of the site for future staff and community groups were conducted throughout the construction phase. The two principle design drivers were to provide an exemplar patient environment and to support staff’s working patterns. The design was also developed in order to maximise flexibility and adaptability for the future. One of the key strategies was the use of generic modular rooms that can suit a wide range of activity. This reflects the latest Department of Health guidance relating to the design of primary and community care facilities. The internal layouts of both the outpatient and inpatient areas are designed to allow different groupings of rooms so that a range of different ward and clinic sizes can be accommodated simply and efficiently. The build quality is extremely high with building materials being sourced responsibly in accordance with the Green Guide for Specification. ‘A’ rated products have been used wherever possible. The project was delivered within programme and budget. The scheme masterplan has been developed so that the building and its green surrounding area are integrated within the local context providing outdoor resources for the local community that are not currently available. Natural wayfinding and orientation have been promoted by introducing views of both external and internal spaces which act as focal points when moving around the building. Circulation routes, in particular, have been designed to reduce stress and promote wayfinding by including informal sitting areas and extensive glazing that allows views of both internal and outdoor areas. All public waiting areas within the building enjoy views into large courtyards that contain planting and outdoor furniture as well as a variety of coloured cladding that has been designed to promote a calm and reassuring environment. Internally, a natural colour palette of slate, wood and chalk white is layered with graduating levels of green. These combine to form a calming and simple environment that reduces stress and aids wayfinding. As part of the broadening health agenda at a regional level, the building contains general group and meeting spaces, as well as gym areas that are available to local groups to further assist in local community integration. The café has been positioned at the front of the building with independent access so that pedestrians through the site can enjoy the use of its facilities.