King’s College Hospital Jeddah Offering High Quality Care with Local Aesthetics

The Challenge

As part of the Government of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Healthcare Sector Transformation Programme, King’s College Hospital Jeddah is the first hospital in Saudi Arabia to be truly integrated with the world class physicians and research from King’s College Hospital (KCH) London. Established in 1840, KCH London is one of the largest teaching hospitals in the UK, with a long history of successfully caring for patients with complex conditions.

It is envisaged that King’s College Hospital will draw and retain the most talented healthcare staff and bring the highest quality of care, and subsequently positive patient outcomes, making King’s College Hospital the hospital of choice for Jeddah and its surrounds. Building on the success of the recently completed King’s College Hospital Dubai, KCH Jeddah was envisioned to be focused on clinical innovation with hospitality-like patient services.

The hospital is located along King Abdulaziz Road, a major artery in Jeddah, which is along the path of the Muslims’ annual pilgrimage to Mecca. The tight site in a congested area brought difficulties in creating access and circulation points during construction.

The Design Solution

Taking cues from the ageless quality and vibrant characteristics of Jeddah, the objective was to design a modern medical facility that provides the highest quality care and experience for patients, families, and staff. The grand main entrance was a vital element in creating a unique visitor experience. The heavily glazed exterior facades provide a hospitality-like ambiance consistent with the five-star treatment within.

The patient-centred care model is designed to address a range of complex and critical care requirements unique to the residents and communities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The hospital is fully integrated with KCH London, offering 24-hour primary care, a full range of outpatient care services and select inpatient services. In addition to locally based physicians, senior KCH physicians from London and Dubai will offer virtual consultations for complex cases. There is also a visiting physicians and surgeon programme with some of KCH’s top surgeons and physicians visiting KCH Jeddah.

Interior spaces are designed for an upscale user experience, creating patient comfort and safety with high-end quality environment with hospitality-like amenities. Using the interior branding established at KCH Dubai, the colour scheme emphasises the sense of community and culture. The warm tones in the palette compliment the wooden Rawashins dotting the city, with sea foam accents marking the entryways.

The Design Impact

King’s College Hospital Jeddah, with the support of King’s College Hospital London, has a world leading position in health care and therapeutic institutes. The London and Jeddah hospitals share knowledge from established research centres in the UK, which reduces the need for patients to travel to the UK for specialty treatment.

The sophisticated design and world-class healthcare services provided here draw and retain the most talented staff to provide the highest quality of care. The resulting positive patient outcomes will make it the hospital of choice for Jeddah and its surrounding communities.

KCH Jeddah is expected to be the first of many similar projects, providing King’s College Hospital the platform for further growth in KSA.