Children, Families Find Everything under One Roof in Qatar

The Al Maha Center for Children and Young Adults relocates Hamad Medical Corporation’s long-term acute care operations for children to Al Wakra, just outside the capital of Doha. Health professionals in Hamad’s new facility strive to create a home for children struggling with lifelong conditions such as cerebral palsy, and their family members. A nurturing, non-clinical environment combined with evidence-based design provides an engaging sensory experience for young patients.

The ambulatory care clinic is designed as a series of “neighbourhoods” or service blocks for outpatient clinics, early intervention, respite care and its autism program — each with their own internal streets, lanes, internal courtyards and gardens. Community-oriented services such as schooling and therapy are also available.

The centre’s key features include:

• A central “Souq,” or main arrival space, that includes a research area and café.
• Wide corridors that connect all parts of the facility and take advantage of views to the outside and internal gardens to create intuitive wayfinding.
• Natural light filtered through decorative external shading devices to create an ever-changing pattern throughout the facility.
• Splashes of colour introduce a warm neutral palette to key areas of the building and patient rooms.
• Courtyard gardens adorned with tactile landscaping and water features provide a relaxing, therapeutic environment.
• Three inpatient units organized as a “pin wheel” connected by a central lounge and dining area and open, child-friendly spaces with access to landscape gardens for play and therapy.