Rotorua will have unique hospital | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

It's architecturally appealing and gives a welcoming environment to the staff, visitors and patients. Haitham Alrubayee, ArchitectThe new $83 million Rotorua Hospital will be unlike any other in the world, say the architects behind the project.

The redevelopment has been under way for 10 months and is expected to be finished late next year.

Architect Haitham Alrubayee has worked on the designs of two other New Zealand hospitals under development - Green Lane and Middlemore in Auckland - but said Rotorua's will reflect the city's strong Maori culture.

"It's architecturally appealing and gives a welcoming environment to the staff, visitors and patients," Mr Alrubayee, head of the healthcare division of Peddle Thorp architects, said.

"We've incorporated a lot of cultural aspects and that's what started the concept.

"There will be Maori carvings and the roof in the atrium will reflect the traditional marae gabled roof."

He said the architectural team worked closely with Lakes District Health Board's Maori health team to ensure they were culturally accurate.

They also worked with a hospital focus team to ensure the clinicians had an input.

For Peddle Thorp the project started in 2007 when it tendered for the design brief. Since then, a team of up to 10 staff has been involved.

Construction started in October last year and Mr Alrubayee said each week the firm pays a site visit to make sure the project is running smoothly.

"That won't stop until we hand it over. I'm happy with how it's going. Everyone's trying to put in as much energy as possible to give the best product."

He said hospitals are essentially the same in that they serve the same purpose, each have patient spaces as well as offices, but the point of difference between Rotorua Hospital and the company's other projects in Auckland, was the strong Maori culture.

"This is very different to Green Lane and Middlemore. We always work from a basic design health facility guideline. The rooms and functions are basically the same, but [with the Rotorua project] it's been more about trying to reflect the site.

"This will be a great asset for the community and will provide for an excellent, modern healthcare facility. It will also reflect the cultural richness of the city. It's very important for us to achieve that."

The new hospital building will feature inpatient services on the ground floor, surgical and orthopaedic units on the first floor and intensive care, coronary care and medical units on the second floor.

The operating theatres will remain on the second floor of the current building and there will be a link through to the ICU. The development will mean an extra five inpatient beds and 16 emergency department cubicles.