Construction is already in progress on the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center Cairo, a medical facility located near the Pyramids of Giza and adjacent to the Zewail City of Science and Technology. Designed by Foster + Partners, which specializes in sustainable and innovative solutions, this 300-bed hospital aims to offer free treatment and bring its patients closer to nature to foster healing.
Following the biophilic design principles, the hospital’s territory is surrounded by landscaped gardens with calm water and local plants. It is important to acknowledge that this element of nature directly relates to the patient’s condition and undertakes the role of a socially constructive environment for health improvement and rehabilitation. The lighting is natural, which plays a vital role in the mood and orientation of the inmates. The ventilation provision is also well planned to allow maximum fresh air in the building.
Some of the most important factors that have formed the hospital’s layout include patient comfort and hospital functionality. Accessible through a shaded pedestrian plaza, the entrance opens to a lobby with canopies and creates a calm environment immediately upon entering. The ground floor provides extensive diagnostic and treatment facilities, emergency services, outpatient clinics, and rehabilitation departments. Apart from being sources of natural light, the courtyards in the building act as sanctuaries to patients and staff members.
An important aspect of the hospital is the blending of research with medical practice in the hospital facilities. Surgical departments and intensive care units are integrated to encourage synergy between research and patient care, improving healthcare solutions. The first floor is designed with eight private intensive care units and ventilation that provide natural light and beautiful scenery of the landscape and the lakes.
Biophilic Healing & Innovative Design
The upper levels are dedicated to patients’ rooms, which provide freedom and large terraces covered by sculptural shell-like roofs. A green terrace on the second floor in vernacular style creates a comfortable atmosphere for the staff and becomes a public venue. The facility also includes collaborative spaces for staff, like the canteen and children’s nursery. The interior palette, influenced by Egyptian history and psychology, uses soft, warm colors to create a calming atmosphere conducive to healing.
Norman Foster, founder of the international firm Foster and Partners, highlighted the functions of the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center Cairo in delivering the best health services and providing care settings. “The Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center combines advanced medical facilities with biophilic design principles to enhance patient outcomes,” he noted. Sir Magdi Yacoub of Aswan Heart Center emphasized the hospital’s vision of delivering high-quality cardiovascular disease treatment and training the future generation of heart surgeons. Scheduled for LEED certification, the hospital integrates sustainable practices such as local materials and passive design strategies.
