Case Studies

Contractor: Carillion
Architects: BDP

Bristol’s £430 million Southmead Hospital is a showpiece of contemporary hospital design, providing 800 patient beds; 75 per cent of which are single en-suite rooms to enhance infection control. The facilities also include 24 operating theatres and a helipad.

The hospital’s contemporary design is all about openness and accessibility, with three large atriums and balcony-style corridors on five floors along with balconies on all five storeys of each atrium.

Delta Balustrades were responsible for designing and installing the balustrades and handrails across both the public and staff only areas of Southmead Hospital, including the balconies, corridors, clinical core staircases and feature staircases that zigzag up the wall of each atrium.

The balconies saw Duo D411 balustrades installed with banjo lugs and a toughened glass infill. In the public areas, innovative approaches to fixings and the use of fritted glass helped to enhance aesthetics and provide modesty screening while the six clinical core staircases were specified Orbis Sigma 304 grade stainless steel for the handrails and uprights.