Kahler Slater served as the international medical planner and lead designer for the Yishun Community Hospital (YCH) and the Geriatric Education and Research Institute (GERI) in Singapore, a 428-bed, multi-building high-rise complex providing sub-acute care, rehabilitation, palliative care and dementia care environments. The client’s goal was to transform care through world-renowned rehabilitative and geriatric patient care, education and research.

The new YCH is a trailblazing ‘hospital for the future’ that provides a stimulating patient experience designed to improve patients’ health so that they may achieve the highest quality of life possible and if able, return home. Kahler Slater helped the Ministry of Health Singapore bring this new model of patient care to life by creating an interactive healing environment based on the Functional Optimization towards Independent Living (FOIL) model. FOIL prepares resident’s for “getting back to life” and functioning independently in daily activities. YCH is the resident’s home-away-from-home for an extended period of time, so many special features are considered for patient and family comfort. The unique themed spaces: “home, community, neighborhood, and village” help residents easily navigate the large scale environment. YCH has a robust Arts and Health program that enhances the resident’s experience through healing arts and building community relationships.

The design for the complex enables efficient, Lean, safe, intuitive movement between the acute care “Fast Medicine” and community hospital “Slow Medicine” services. Special design features include a Multi-Level Living Garden, Lounge and Dining with Sky Garden areas and vista views to Yishun Pond.

Project done in partnership with local Singapore architect, CIAP.