84m Walkway
Peterborough City Hospital approached us in the early months of 2021 to discuss the best way connect a number of exterior doorways at their site. Following initial discussions over the phone we immediately arranged for Steve - Senior Draughtsman - to visit the site & provide a survey of the grounds.
Arriving on site a week later, Steve met with the Hospital’s project manager for a quick tour and a discussion of the area.
Identifying a single cycle shelter, a door canopy, & a carpark ticket machine to the west of the planned walkway as potential problem areas for future pedestrians, we took great care in designing the western edge of the walkway with adequate spacing for people to access the existing infrastructure.
Our design would have the 84m walkway begin 2m away from a pre-existing door canopy for the Ambulatory Care Unit to allow access to the existing cycle shelter, extend approximately 14m up to the ticket machine before taking an 11° turn to become parallel with the building, from here it would extend 50m along the length of the building before making a second turn at approximately 22° and continuing for another 20m where it would reach its destination.
14m Covered Walkway
In addition to the headline 84m walkway, Peterborough City Hospital had also identified a second area that would benefit from its own covered walkway. Their intention was once again to provide adequate weather protection for patients and staff as they transit from one department to another. Whilst onsite Steve was able to use his 30 years of expertise to identify that the second canopy would simply be a single straight run, approximately 14m in length, with no existing structures or fittings to work around.
Taking these findings back to the office we were able to plan out a turn-key service for the two walkways, which we presented to the Hospital within 2 weeks of the site survey being completed.
Following confirmation from the Hospital that they were satisfied with our plans, arrangements were made to have the two walkways’ constituent parts manufactured, and just 6 weeks later both canopies were installed and ready for use.
Conclusion
Throughout our planning process, we carefully considered various factors to minimize any potential disruptions. One key concern was ensuring that the existing facilities, such as the cycle shelter and ticket machines, remained easily accessible and unobstructed. We also paid close attention to the routes from the car park, aiming to maintain smooth traffic flow and prevent congestion in these areas. By addressing these considerations, we aimed to create a solution that not only connects the entrances effectively but also enhances the overall functionality and convenience of the hospital's infrastructure.
