NICORNAHealthcareHealthcare Architecture & Planning

Designing a Healthier Future

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Formed in 2005 as specialists in the healthcare architecture sector we help to bridge the knowledge gap

between clinical and construction perspectives.

With over 25 years combined expertise in this sector we aspire to be experts in the design and delivery of

all aspects of healthcare facility design from minor works through to whole hospital design both in the UK

and abroad.

Nicorna understands your project from a clinical and architectural perspective utilising evidence based

design and providing tailor made research studies on a project by project basis acquired from a global

knowledge base.

We are committed to delivering innovative, sustainable designs and customised solutions to enable our

clients to not only meet but to exceed their expectations

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Nicorna has always put the patient and clinical staff at the forefront

in the design of their projects with patient and user centred design.

Utilising the global knowledge network of healthcare professionals

including via social media and other channels it is our vision to be

at the cutting edge of healthcare architecture by constantly pushing

barriers in modern technologies and transforming facilities to

achieve state of the art equipment and clinical models for today

and beyond.

Designing in future flexibility and sustainability to reduce the

traditional high energy usage and high carbon production to reduce

the overall carbon footprint of what are heavily engineered

facilities.

We look to other industries to try and change the traditional

perception of healthcare facilities from the often over clinical

environment to be patient centred to create a less anxious and a

more relaxed, pleasant experience for all.

By concentrating on one sector we offer a designated service for

the specialist area that is healthcare architecture.

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American Hospital Tbilisi; Georgia

A new 80 bed private hospital development in

downtown Tbilisi situated in the grounds of the old

Trauma and Maternity hospitals this state of the art

facility will specialise in surgical procedures

including Cardiology, Neurology, Orthopaedics,

Gastroenterology and General Surgery as well as a

Day Surgery and Endoscopy department.

The facility has been designed to combine local, US

and UK guidelines and would be the first hospital in

the country to be JCI accredited.

Currently under construction.

Health Sector Reform Project; Azerbaijan

A World Bank and IDA financed project to bring

modern hospital facilities to the northern

regions of Azerbaijan Republic.

Situated in the Caucuses mountain region 2 x

100 bed hospitals were designed and

constructed along with 4 smaller village

hospitals and 8 Primary Care centres to

address the medical and surgical needs of the

area.

As the facilities are situated within a seismic

zone the buildings were designed to combat

earthquake damage

New PET-MR Scanner Facility

The University of Manchester Imaging

Department successfully obtained a

grant to procure a new PET-MR

Scanner facility to further research into

dementia.

The facility was constructed in a

shelled space of the new hospital

development at Central Manchester

University NHS Foundation Trust in

conjunction with ENGIE Building

Services and the main contractor was

MTX Contracts.

Providing both MRI and PET

modalities in the one area created a

number of challenges especially with

regards to protecting the MR from

external interferences and protecting

the users and patients from both MR

magnetic fields and PET radiation.

Using a 3D coordinated model allowed

potential “shine through” paths to be

identified at the early stage reducing

the need for costly and time

consuming retrospective works.

The successful scanner provider is GE

Healthcare.

New Place of Safety (136) Facility

The Emergency Department at Manchester

Royal Infirmary recently reviewed the

facilities for receiving Mental Health patients

in conjunction with the Care Quality

Commission (CQC) and embarked on a

programme to improve the current facilities in

the department.

The brief was to provide secure

accommodation and reduce the institutional

feel of the facilities along with improving

privacy & dignity.

The existing unit was too small and required

the reprovision of the existing dirty utility to

allow for an expanded facility and provision

of anti ligature and DDA compliant ensuite

WC.

The flooring was padded using acoustic

underlay and walls were clad in Polyclad

welded sheet with both walls and ceilings

plywood backed to prevent accidental and/or

intentional damage and ligature points.

All of this work was carried out in a live

department.

New Critical Care Unit

A refurbishment project within the existing

hospital estate to provide 52 Critical Care beds

including ITU, HDU and Cardiac Surgery ITU

including 11 dual purpose isolation facilities.

Using the latest in equipment technology the

facilities allow patients to have the best care

available in a more aesthetically pleasing and

less clinical environment.

Addresses clinical adjacencies and patient flow

with interdepartmental support areas including

Operating Theatres, Radiology and A&E.

Minor Procedures Unit

In response to the need for providing

additional facilities for minor procedures in

the Children’s hospital an under utilised

store was identified in the Operating

Department for reconfiguration into a minor

operating theatre.

The challenges included creating a clinical

and sterile environment from a general

ancillary area, carrying out construction

works within a sensitive area and to create

an environment usually associated with

stressful procedures more calming and

child friendly.

The project was delivered on time and

within budget whilst addressing the users

needs including infection control

procedures throughout the works.

Concept Proposal for New Emergency Department

A Business Case and Concept

Design study to ascertain the

feasibility of refurbishing a major

city centre A&E department.

Using “shop floor” studies and

full stakeholder consultations to

ascertain the best architectural

and clinical model of care to

transform the traditional A&E

scenarios of waiting times, poor

patient flows and capacity

issues.

14 separate options were

produced for different patient

flow and cost models

General Wards

Lifecycle projects to strip out and

re-design standard nucleus ward

templates to increase single

ensuite accommodation, improve

privacy and dignity, address

single sex occupancy and patient

safety.

Upgrade of medical equipment to

modern and efficient standards

and improvement of the general

built environment.

Concept Proposal for New Outpatients Main Entrance/Waiting Area

Feasibility study for the

refurbishment of the main entrance

and retail areas to increase waiting

areas and improve the general

ambience of the environment.

The existing main entrance was

confusing and a new external

façade treatment and internal

restructuring was required to create

a focal point entrance and reception

to improve way finding and general

aesthetics.

Introduction of retail areas including

dispensing and retail pharmacy,

café and general shopping areas to

provide additional income to the

Trust.

Linked with other adjacent projects

to ensure clinical adjacencies and

ease of access to Outpatients and

A&E.

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Address: Hyde Park House

Cartwright Street

Hyde

Cheshire SK14 4EH

Tel: 01457 337320

Email: health@nicorna.co.uk

Web www.nicorna.co.uk

James Carrick

Director &

Chartered

Architectural

Technologist

Jane Carrick

Company

Secretary & PA

to Director