Paras Yash Kothari Hospital in Kanpur by Creative Designer Architects is a model of patient-centric care through upcycled infrastructure

Paras Yash Kothari Hospital, a 430-bed tertiary care facility, stands as a beacon of hope and innovation in New Kanpur district. Creative Designer Architects designs a derelict structure near the banks of the Ganges River, the hospital is dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of Kanpur and its surrounding towns and villages. Its empathetic and responsive environment is designed to offer specialised clinical services that are often scarce in suburban Uttar Pradesh, one of India’s most populous states.

Revitalising healthcare infrastructure

In a move to transform the defunct infrastructure into a health oasis, Paras Health enlisted the expertise of CDA to create a facility that is centered around patient needs and promotes overall wellness. The hospital is strategically positioned to serve India’s growing middle class, which increasingly demands affordable and high-quality healthcare services.

With over 430 beds, including 100 in intensive care, the hospital is designed for remarkable efficiency—900 square feet per bed. It features specialized facilities in oncology, with two linear accelerators and nuclear imaging, as well as advanced departments in neurology and cardiology, among others.

Design Principles: Sustainability, Functionality and Experience

The design of Paras Yash Kothari Hospital is guided by three core principles: sustainability, streamlined operations, and user experience. This approach embodies an evidence-based design that emphasizes functional efficiency. Inspired by the ‘Breitfuss’ Model, the hospital’s layout minimizes walking distances for staff and visitors by strategically grouping programmatically similar functions in proximity. Emergency care, ambulatory services, and surgical departments are located on the lower floors, while the upper levels house patient rooms, distinctively separated by a service deck.

At the heart of the hospital lies a spacious central courtyard, a light-filled atrium that serves as an organizing element, connecting various departments and creating a welcoming atmosphere. This courtyard is designed to provide positive distractions, fostering calm and tranquility for both patients and visitors.

The modular patient rooms, featuring expansive windows for natural light and outdoor views, are constructed using warm, healing colors and natural materials like locally sourced granite. Healing gardens and landscaped areas within the hospital encourage movement and exercise, providing patients with a sense of control over their environment. These gardens also serve as cultural gathering spaces, while outdoor patios function as extended break areas for staff.

Innovative room configurations

The hospital’s design includes a significant number of single patient rooms, introducing a new typology of ‘small single rooms’ measuring between 160-180 square feet. This approach deviates from conventional Indian healthcare practices, which often prioritize multi-patient wards, thus enhancing infection control and minimizing patient risks.

Adaptive reuse for enhanced efficiency

As an adaptive reuse project, Paras Yash Kothari Hospital has dramatically compressed its construction timeline to just 18 months, compared to 28-30 months for a similar greenfield project. However, the design team faced challenges such as fixed deck heights and narrow floor plates. By strategically programming and zoning, the team extended the existing floor plate by 10 feet along the courtyard’s internal perimeter, resulting in a consistent circulation spine across all floors and efficient wayfinding for both rural and urban visitors.

The removal of the first-floor slab created a double-height foyer, fostering a more inviting atmosphere. Additionally, the introduction of a double-height green open space enhanced the overall experience for patients and caregivers.

Commitment to sustainability

Paras Yash Kothari Hospital is on track to achieve a USGBC LEED GOLD Healthcare rating, emphasizing energy efficiency throughout its operations. The building’s envelope is designed to minimize heat gain and maximize usable daylight, utilizing insulated glass units on the south and west facades. Furthermore, over 20% of the facility’s total energy load is offset by solar panels, which also fulfill the entire water heating demands, contributing to a greener healthcare ecosystem.

Paras Yash Kothari Hospital exemplifies a transformative approach to healthcare infrastructure, prioritizing patient-centric design, operational efficiency, and sustainability. Through innovative use of space and resources, the hospital not only addresses the urgent healthcare needs of the region but also sets a new standard for future healthcare facilities in India.

Also Read: Studio Skapa Architects and Atelier108 design a landmark campus for Biovet Pvt Ltd, celebrating post-industrial architecture

FACT FILE:

Name of the project: Yash Kothari Memorial Hospital

Location: Kanpur

Typology: Healthcare

Architecture Firm: Creative Designer Architects

Principal Architect: Ravideep Singh, Maninder Kaur, Mohanbir Singh

Design Team: Ravideep Singh, Maninder Kaur, Mohanbir Singh, Prannay Dhingra

Site Area: 3 acres

Built – Up Area: 430,000 sq ft

Photo courtesy: Noughts and Crosses

ACP/ Glass/ Concrete: Aludecor, Saint Gobain

Sanitary ware/ Fittings: Jaguar/ TOTO

Flooring: Marble/ Garnite/ Anti-skid/Anti-statitc tiles/ NITCO/ SOMANY

Furnishing: Laminate/ Modular

Furniture: Modular

Air Conditioning: Daikan

Lighting: Philips/ Wipro/ bespoke

Paint: Asian Paints/ Dulux

Elevator: OTIS CONSULTANTS

Structural: NNC Design International

Electrical, HVAC, plumbing, PMC: Clancy Global

Façade, mechanical, civil, landscape, engineering: CDA