Revolutionizing Healthcare: Ayesa Designs Sustainable Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Panama City

The facilities of the Hospital del Niño, built in 1950 and located on the waterfront of Panama City, were outdated and required modernization to meet the latest patient care standards and technologies. Redevelopment and expansion of the buildings were necessary to transform them into modern facilities.

A joint venture of Ayesa and Pinearq was contracted by the Ministry of Health to design a new hospital in Panama City, which will include the New Children’s Hospital, Santo Tomás Maternity Hospital, and a Research and Development building.

The hospital complex will have a total capacity of 720 beds, 28 operating theaters, and 30 delivery rooms and will be located on the historical Santo Tomas Hospital site on the Panama Canal waterfront.

The design of the hospital will prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability while blending in with adjacent national historical monuments in the gardens.

The scope of the project includes architectural design, technical specifications, cost analysis, and construction plans for the hospital and surrounding areas, including a general practice center and a maternity hospital.

The new hospital complex will have a total area of 165,000m² of new construction and 5,700m² of refurbished space, including 700 parking spaces in a new 24,000m² area. Ayesa and Pinearq worked together on the expansion of the New Children’s Hospital, which included multiple buildings and their surroundings on flat terrain approximately four meters above sea level.

The project will increase the hospital’s surface area by 65%, improve critical areas, and increase parking capacity. Additionally, the former outpatient building was renovated to serve as a Research and Development Center.

The restoration of the Santo Tomás Hospital gardens and the construction of a third ring road that was displaced during the construction were also part of the project.

This was a unique challenge due to its prime waterfront location and at the heart of the city’s main artery.

The project involved revitalizing existing buildings and public spaces while integrating new high-rise structures with low-level structures, resulting in a dynamic and innovative undertaking.

The Joint venture aimed to create an identifiable set with recognizable facades that would link the city’s maritime front while also incorporating urban continuity at the ground floor level.

Thus, the team designed a visual system based on the international maritime signal flags, traditionally used as a communication code between vessels, with a commitment to interdisciplinary work to transform the medical space into a comfortable and soothing environment