Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), in collaboration with RINA (lead partner), Studio Plicchi, WSP, STI Engineering and BC Building Consulting, has won the international competition to design the Grande Ospedale della Malpensa: the new medical campus that will unite the hospitals of Gallarate and Busto Arsizio into a single macro-structure, providing cutting-edge healthcare to approximately one million people in the region between Milan and Varese.
The project was conceived in response to ambitious challenges, from the need to meet the growing demand for healthcare in the region to the requirement for integrating high-quality medical technologies and services with a design focused on the individual, with the resources and fragility that this entails.
The complex will be set in a rich natural environment of woods and farmland within the Regional Ecological Network and close to the Ticino Valley Regional Park, preserving and integrating existing natural and man-made ecosystems, including the historic Cascina dei Poveri, a 12th-13th century rural complex converted into a meeting place for the local community.
The compact structure, consisting of five floors above ground and one basement floor, will cover approximately 90,000 square metres and will include emergency, surgery and intensive care services, a multifunctional operating block, outpatient and inpatient facilities, clinics and specialist rehabilitation areas, laboratories and logistics services. Thanks to its modular system, the project can be easily adapted to possible future expansions and reorganisations in line with constantly evolving needs.
Inside, fluid spaces clad in natural finishes promote the psychological and physical well-being of users, optimising accessibility, natural light and ventilation, and acoustic comfort, while stimulating opportunities for interaction thanks to the presence of social areas, courtyards, and panoramic rooftop terraces.
As always in the practice of the studio, particular attention is paid to environmental sustainability. The work integrates processes, products and technologies that minimise the ecological footprint, from the use of recycled and low-carbon materials and modular prefabrication technologies to reduce waste and construction time, to the integration of passive design techniques and renewable energy technologies: the high-performance building shell is made of modular windproof aluminium panels with integrated planters and solar shading to reduce cooling requirements by 30%; a photovoltaic system of over 1 MWp will provide about a quarter of the hospital's electricity needs, while a hybrid heating system is designed for hydrogen integration.