NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE OF UKRAINE
The face of healthcare reform in Ukraine has become a newly established institution – the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU). The NHSU was allocated an old Soviet-era building. The architects of the reform faced the task of transforming the old Soviet healthcare system into a new, efficient one. Our team faced a similar challenge: to transform the old Soviet building into a modern office for the new institution – the NHSU. The office is open to the public, efficient for internal processes, energy-efficient, modern, inclusive, and one that represents the new healthcare reform and its main institution.
We worked with space and light to create a sense of openness and opportunity. We completely redesigned the layout in line with the principles of a modern open-plan office, adding plenty of meeting areas for teamwork, a lecture theatre for events and presentations, and workspaces with natural light and acoustic comfort. The façade was modernised and insulated using contemporary materials and lighting. Sun protection was installed on the south and east sides to prevent the premises from overheating. We opened up and enlarged the entrance area, ensuring visitors do not feel overwhelmed upon entry, and made it inclusive, just like the entire space inside the building. All engineering systems were redesigned with energy efficiency in mind. The main source of heating is heat pumps. The grounds were given a modern makeover, making them fully accessible, with separate areas functionally connected to the interior spaces, such as the option to step out of the large lecture hall and continue socialising outdoors
According to the list of construction works and the significant changes to the building, the project should have been classified as a reconstruction. However, our thorough understanding of the relevant laws and regulations enabled us to obtain all the necessary approvals as a capital repair, without the need for urban planning conditions or additional design data. This saved the Client a significant amount of time, expedited the granting of the building permit and the start of construction works
