4.1
Low and human in scale
Corridors are wide, waiting areas are lit by daylight, and a white and green palette keeps rooms quiet and easy to clean.
Case study 05 / 10 · Healthcare & Medical Education
Calm, at a human scale
Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Muzaffarpur
A cancer Hospital for long days of treatment: low, daylit and green, with every flow given its own route.
- Project
- Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre
- Location
- Muzaffarpur, Bihar
- Client
- Tata Memorial Centre
- Our role
- Architectural and Engineering consultant for Tata Memorial Centre
- Built-up area
- 27,138 m²
- Site area
- 15 acres
- Project value
- ₹180 crore
- Beds
- 100
- Status
- In use since 2023
01
The brief
Cancer care for North Bihar and neighbouring states, a region that has long been underserved. The Hospital was developed by the Tata Memorial Centre under the Department of Atomic Energy.
About 250 patients come each day, often with their families, for long days of treatment. The 100-bed Hospital holds outpatient clinics, chemotherapy wards, diagnostic imaging, a palliative care wing, a genomic Laboratory and radiotherapy.
02
The site
A 15-acre site within the Campus of Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur, in a region of harsh summers.
03
The idea
Keep the Hospital low and modular, with patient, clinical and administrative zones kept apart so that each runs without getting in the way of the others, and give patients and families daylit waiting areas and green courts.
Radiotherapy has its own radiation-shielded block with four linear accelerator bunkers, joined to the Hospital by a covered link. Vehicles, patients and services follow separate routes.
- 1Patient zoneOutpatient clinics, chemotherapy and wards, around green courts.
- 2Clinical zoneImaging, Laboratories and the genomic Laboratory.
- 3AdministrationKept apart from the clinical and patient areas.
- 4CourtyardsGreen courtyards and daylit waiting areas give families a calmer place to be.
- 5RadiotherapyA shielded block with four linear accelerator bunkers.
- 6Covered linkJoins radiotherapy to the Hospital.
- 7Separate routesVehicles, patients and services follow their own routes, for daily running and infection control.
- 8Cross-ventilationOrientation, shaded windows and cross-ventilation reduce the need for mechanical cooling.
04
The design
4.2
Two buildings and a link
The Hospital and the radiotherapy block stand apart, joined by a covered link.
4.3
Shade against the summer
Orientation and envelope are set for thermal comfort. Rainwater harvesting and solar water heating are part of the design, and modular service ducts let the building adapt over time.
More views
05
Outcome
ARCH-EN DESIGN was Architectural and Engineering consultant to the Tata Memorial Centre. The Hospital has been in use since 2023 and serves about 250 patients a day.
- Operational2023