As our current administration continues the health care debate, design firms see global health care as a building opportunity. For years wealthy individuals abroad, including the king of Saudi Arabia, have come to the United States when they needed Western medicine. In 2012 the Cleavland Clinic, a popular hospital for international patrons, will be partnering up with other US institutions to open the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. The buyers of this clinic are striving to make Western medical care available in the United Arab Emirates and a huge part of its success depends on how the building is marketed to the people within the government of Abu Dhabi. This is where the architects come in - visually articulating the presence of the Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi. The firm HDR will undertake this 360-bed project in making a hospital with the aesthetics of a hotel. The exciting role for HDR is their role from start to finish, from idea to reality.
A similar project in China does not allow architects to engage in the functional operations of the hospital, but merely the design. The Shenzhen hospital is currently being designed by TRO Jung|Brannen. In addition, China has called for 2,000 local hospitals and thousands of health clinics to be reconstructed and renovated - thus creating more opportunities for design.
According to Ron Smith at HOK, there is a global market for the American excellence in design and standards in health care. On the bright side our health care nightmares are admired around the world as "excellence".
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