Collaborating on care of the future

St. Francis combines high-tech facilities with unique building collaboration

Keeping a hospital in operation while building a completely new complex right next door: it is a task that requires extreme precision. In Rotterdam this is becoming reality with the new construction at the Franciscus Gasthuis location. Success here is not a question of technology alone, but of cooperation at all levels: from the board table to the construction site.

“The current Franciscus Gasthuis is nearly 50 years old and simply no longer meets today's requirements,” says Peter-Willem van Lindenberg, member of the Franciscus Board of Directors. “We are building a sustainable and future-proof state-of-the-art hospital building, while care continues as usual.” That requires customization. Piling is ruled out because of vibrations, radios stay off at the construction site and ambulance routes have been shifted so patients can always find their way around. Van Lindenberg: “We literally work shoulder to shoulder with the construction partners to make that possible.”

Construction combination with healthcare experience

For the execution, Franciscus engaged the Berghege-Heerkens-Unica-ULC VOF construction consortium. A good choice, according to Tom Bongers, director on behalf of Berghege Heerkens Bouwgroep: “We are used to building in a healthcare environment. That requires flexibility and respect for the environment. Together with Franciscus, we are constantly looking at processes so that care can continue safely.”

“Each party in the construction consortium brings its own expertise,” he emphasizes. “Unica and ULC take care of the extensive installations that are crucial for this building. Think of 250 kilometers of data cabling, 287,000 m³ of air refreshed per hour and separate air handling units per operating room. This will make this hospital not only ultramodern, but also a calling card for healthcare and an inspiring learning environment for students.”

Contact with environment and staff

Collaboration is not an afterthought here, but the foundation of the project. The construction team holds biweekly meetings to discuss progress and the impact on the environment. Bongers: “From management to building site employees: everyone pulls together. The common goal is clear: a patient-friendly and modern hospital.”

During Construction Day, more than 800 visitors, from nurses to local residents, got to see the power of that collaboration for themselves. “A unique moment to give colleagues a look behind the scenes of where they will soon be working, and to show the neighborhood what we will soon have to offer for them,” said Van Lindenberg. “In addition, it was also a good time to put the care and construction industry in the spotlight.”

Acute functions under one roof

The new building bundles three essential components of Franciscus Gasthuis: an Emergency Square integrated with a GP emergency room, a high-quality Operation & Intervention Center with hybrid ORs and a Woman & Child Center with roof garden and family rooms. Van Lindenberg: “From emergency care to birth care: all acute functions come together here. This new building is a big step for Franciscus to continue to provide good basic care and top clinical acute and complex care in the future.”

Pride and looking forward

The contours of the new hospital are becoming increasingly visible. Van Lindenberg emphasizes that this is no foregone conclusion: “With limited resources and complicated preconditions, we have managed to realize a hospital of the future that is on track for completion in mid-2026. It will be a building that supports top-level care and where patients, their families and our staff can feel welcome.” Bongers also looks ahead to that final phase: “The upper floors are largely complete, now the focus is on the operating rooms. You notice that everyone feels the same commitment. That shared sense of pride gives this project its strength.”