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| Foster + Partners introduces CircleBath CircleBath is Foster + Partners' first hospital and the first in a programme of new independent hospitals which offer a radical departure from orthodox approaches to hospital planning. After a period of commissioning, CircleBath is expected to open to patients in February. The compact design encourages a sense of community and well-being with facilities more comparable to a luxury hotel rather than a traditional hospital. The three-storey hospital is set into the hills on the edge of protected green belt nine kilometres south east of Bath. It is planned around a central light filled atrium, promoting a sense of orientation and intimacy that is commonly lacking in larger hospitals. The project is the first of a chain of health campuses across the UK commissioned by Health Properties for Circle, a privately funded initiative that places patients at the centre of a new approach to healthcare. Circle is an employee-owned group of 1,200 clinicians and hospital workers organised along the lines of 'John Lewis Partnership'. write your comments about the article :: © 2010 Construction News :: home page |