The architect has to acquire an understanding of the comprehensive technical and administrative needs of the hospital.
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His responsibility is to translate clinical and administrative requirements into architectural and engineering realities which encompass site selection, orientation of buildings, and supervision of construction, utilities and electrical and mechanical installations.
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The requirements have to be understood in depth by the architect from the hospital consultant, from which should develop a programme in writing stating clearly all the requirements in comprehensive terms, viz. number of beds, their distribution, departmental needs, area requirements, major equipment, number and type of personnel to be employed, departmental functions and relationships.
An architect can be of value only if he has experience of hospital architecture and construction. There are specialist architects employed at the central and state government levels in the ministry/department of health for work in the government sector.
During recent past, architects with hospital experience have also become available in the open market.
Therefore, it will be best to engage the services of architects who are specialists in hospital construction or with experience in hospital projects.
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As the project goes on, architects and engineers without previous experience in hospital building can be employed in an executive capacity without detriment to the project.
Architectural creativity lies is synthesizing all elements into appropriate solution patterns.
For a hospital architect, to create a hospital which satisfies the functional requirements of the profession (medical, nursing, administration), meets the cost limits set by the owners and yet retains some quality of architecture, is a task requiring imaginative approach, a high degree of professional skill and ingenuity.
In general, a hospital project undergoes the following phases:
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1. Inception
2. Feasibility studies
3. Outline proposal
4. Scheme design
5. Detail design
6. Tender action
7. Construction
8. Commissioning
9. Shake-down