Harper’s team programmed its design around a public “community boulevard” that meanders through the entire complex; the public pathway connects to an outdoor food court and a shaded outdoor living room, and it leads to a new bike and pedestrian trail being converted from an old railway line, which, in turn, connects the hospital complex to a wellness infrastructure network of parks, recreation trails, and bike lanes in development throughout the city. “The design of the redevelopment of AH is a tribute to nature’s healing touch, with gardens and greenery to foster recovery and rejuvenation,” a narrator intones in a video about the project.
Creative License
The firm’s work across Asia complements a significant portfolio in the Middle East, where its Dubai studio works closely with its Asia counterparts. Overseas work has allowed designers to stretch their wings creatively, says Senior Associate Xie Xin, the healthcare practice’s lead interior designer. Big-name US hospital clients typically have detailed design standards and know what they want, she says, equating the designers’ role as that of a home chef, working with specific ingredients to create solutions for the client’s needs, “but for overseas projects in Asia and sometimes in the Middle East, it’s a different story. They heavily rely on our judgment, on our experience, and our recommendations, and they prefer to be given a big menu that includes everything.” To that end, Xie frequently finds herself going beyond interior design to get involved in medical planning and hospital operation. She’s also been educating clients in areas such as sustainability and material health. “They value this package of knowledge to be what makes us stand out from other firms,” she says.
From Harper’s standpoint, the Asia healthcare practice is poised for growth. “We’re building backlog and experience and growing our track record so our local staff can deliver these projects locally,” he says, while he and US-based leaders such as Hess and Xin make frequent trips to the region. They’ve formed key partnerships along the way, entering joint ventures and collaborations with architecture, engineering, construction, and strategic consulting firms in the region to pursue opportunities. And since the Amata master plan was awarded to Perkins Eastman with funding assistance from the USTDA, the agency has introduced the firm to several more potential clients in Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. “Clients and consultants know we’re in the region,” Hess says. “Word of mouth is getting around that we’re there, we’re committed, and we’re establishing a portfolio of built work. That’s key as we move forward.”