Woodlands Health Campus shortlisted for 2024 World Architecture Festival award

Singapore’s newest hospital, Woodlands Health Campus (WHC), has been shortlisted for the 2024 World Architecture Festival (WAF) award in the Completed Buildings: Health category.

Designed and delivered by SAA Architects, a member of the Surbana Jurong Group (SJ), the project will compete with eight other leading healthcare entries from countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Woodlands Health Campus was shortlisted based on SAA’s unique approach to public healthcare design. The Campus challenges typical planning norms for healthcare facilities, with its holistic continuum-of-care model. It is designed to be open so members of the community can enter, use, and enjoy its environment and facilities.

Woodlands Health Campus is also the first hospital in Singapore to integrate nature through a dedicated park within its grounds, to promote patient healing and improve staff’s wellbeing. The overall design approach is guided by a spirit of sharing, close collaboration in establishing processes, and a desire to instil a sense of togetherness.

SAA was appointed as the architectural consultant for the project in 2015, after winning a design competition which attracted strong entries from local and international firms. The project, which took 10 years from design conception to its successful completion, involved a multi-disciplinary team within SJ, which included designers, architects, and medical planners from SAA, and mechanical and electrical engineers from SJ.

The hospital welcomed its first patients in December 2023 and is slated to officially open in July 2024.

Michael Leong, Senior Executive Director, SAA Architects, said: "We envisioned Woodlands Health Campus as a holistic space for healing and recovery. For example, the integration of the public park into the hospital invites the community as partners and at the same time encourages active living for the public. We hope WHC sets a new benchmark for the delivery of healthcare in Singapore. Being shortlisted for the WAF award is an affirmation of that hope.”

Woodlands Health Campus is one of three projects by members of the SJ Group to be shortlisted for the 2024 WAF awards. The GEAR, by Kajima Design in collaboration with Surbana Jurong Consultants, is a finalist in the Completed Buildings: Higher Education and Research category, while the CABN Vision Plan by B+H Architects, will compete in the Future Project: Masterplanning category.

Winners will be announced at the three-day festival, which takes place in Singapore this year from 6 to 8 November.