Almoosa Specialist Hospital was founded by the determination of a father seeking medical care for his young daughter, Sarah. Rather than accept local doctor recommendations to treat a leg tumor with amputation, he and Sarah travelled overseas to Boston where surgeons removed the tumor and saved her leg. Almoosa Specialist Hospital is motivated to give the same world-class care to the Al Ahsa region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the hospital is a beacon of hope. Rooted in the harsh desert landscape, Almoosa Specialist Hospital is an oasis unto itself, a place of community and healing. 

The new 17-story North Tower is the tallest hospital in Saudi Arabia. Inspired by the local Sidra tree, the tower’s design expresses the tree’s legacy of healing and community protection. For centuries, the Sidra tree has served as a desert town square, hosting community gatherings large and small beneath its canopy’s shade. Fruits and flowers of the tree provide the community with sustenance and its leaves are known for their healing properties. Sweeping curves of the project’s design reference the Sidra tree and interior architecture supports healing through biophilic design. Biophilia led the design concept, both to embrace the branded Sidra tree, and leverage evidence-based healing properties to reduce cortisol, increase serotonin and create a sense of well-being for all occupants.

Biophilic details are evident upon arrival and can be found throughout the design. A wood screen layered with petrified moss filters the harsh desert sun as visitors enter the building. Through the screen, which scales the multi-story glass façade, visitors can see public spaces, the lobby, café, retail, and event spaces; it is a welcoming invitation for the entire community. Small groups of seating nest within the protection of the screens, creating a sense of refuge. Many of the forms in the space take on soft curves and organic shaping—the reception desk, seating elements and structural columns. While significant landmarks, like information desks and vertical circulation, are designed to have visual presence, pathways through the public realm are intended to meander against soft edges and around small moments of pause.

As the first LEED Gold certified hospital in KSA, the project leveraged building performance and features to improve occupant health and well-being. Reducing the impact of water scarcity in the region, all plants used for landscaping are native and adaptive plants, minimizing the cooling tower water use by RO water treatment plant, and 48% potable water saving. Materials have environmentally, economically and socially preferable life-cycle impacts and 93% of freestanding furniture and medical furnishings meet the Minimal Chemical Content. Nearly 84% of regularly occupied areas on inpatient floors have floor to ceiling windows, 98.5% with glare control devices.