Nightingale Associates has won the bid to design the new Bicester Community Hospital in Oxfordshire. The boutique hospital will provide 12 beds, diagnostic facilities, first aid unit, out of hours services, therapies and an outpatient department.

The project has been commissioned by NHS Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Cluster. The new facility will replace the existing hospital that opened in 1908, which is inflexible, outdated and not fit for purpose. The development is only the second new build community hospital in the county in the last 40 years.

The architects are designing the £5 million hospital as part of the Kajima Mansell team, who were selected as preferred bidders against Community Solutions.

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Nightingale's design solution places patients and their wellbeing at the core of the concept. The building is designed to offer flexibility to cope with demographic, demand and commissioning changes. The design makes the most of the leafy site by combining external landscaping and internal activity spaces.

The effective masterplanning of the site has created additional income towards the project through a new private residential development. Fourteen new houses will be built on the site of the old hospital, which is being demolished.

Designed to BREEAM 'Excellent' standard, the scheme resonates with the Eco Town status of Bicester. A feature of this approach is the use of solar chimneys as part of the ventilation strategy.

Justin Harris, Primary and Community Care Lead for Nightingale Associates said: "The new Bicester Community Hospital will provide a much needed and essential service for the area. Nightingale is delighted to be working with NHS Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Cluster to deliver a sustainable community hospital that allows the Trust to meet the needs of patients and staff, as well as accommodate those anticipated in the future."

The team is now working towards planning in June, a construction start in January 2013, with the hospital opening in January 2014.

(CD)