Located on Zhongshan Road, just south of Gulou Square in central Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, stands a striking architectural landmark. Its blue glass curtain walls and silver-gray aluminum grid panels resemble Beijing’s “Water Cube.” Without the Drum Tower Hospital signage atop the building, many would likely mistake it for a modern concert hall, library, or science museum. This uniquely designed structure recently earned the highest distinction in China’s construction industry—the “Luban Award” for engineering excellence.
Innovative Design and Distinctive Features
Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital is a key public welfare project and a major construction initiative by the Nanjing Municipal Government. Built by the Shanghai Branch of China Railway Construction Engineering Group, the hospital is comprised of three main functional areas arranged from north to south: the Medical Technology Building, the Inpatient Department, and the Outpatient Department. The hospital boasts spacious interiors, a compact and practical layout, and a novel crystalline exterior, spanning a total construction area of 224,000 square meters.
The new hospital building seamlessly blends medical functionality, architectural artistry, and advanced construction technology. Throughout the planning, design, and construction phases, the Shanghai Branch upheld rigorous standards, focusing on quality and prioritizing the needs of people. By addressing the requirements of both patients and medical staff, the design team created a bright, open medical environment with comfortable, human-centered services and sustainable, energy-efficient architecture throughout the building’s lifecycle.
The hospital’s architectural inspiration comes from traditional folk art, specifically Paper Cuttings. The exterior features a modular, three-layer glass curtain wall system. This lightweight and flexible structure connects with the bamboo culture of the Yangtze River region, achieving harmony between functionality, artistry, and technology. Unlike conventional curtain walls, the double-layer hollow frosted glass softens strong sunlight in corridors and wards, while also providing thermal insulation. Perforated aluminum sunshade panels installed around the frosted glass add visual appeal and functionality, refracting sunlight and blocking strong winds from directly entering the wards.
Window design at Drum Tower Hospital demonstrates special consideration for patient safety and comfort. Chief Engineer Liu Xiang explains, “The windows in the wards and corridors are relatively small, mainly for patient safety. This also takes advantage of the modular glass curtain wall’s properties. By creating a ‘ventilation’ effect, incoming wind is slowed and softened, helping to create a harmonious healing environment.”
The outpatient building’s lobby waiting area is another notable feature. Frosted glass on both sides of the circular courtyard isolates the space from external noise. Landscape platforms extending from the courtyard add spatial depth, while well-designed waiting, piano, and rest areas enhance comfort for visitors.
Commitment to Excellence—Delivering High-Quality Facilities
The basement of the Inpatient Building contains essential equipment rooms—including the power distribution room, water pump room, and central air conditioning units—which act as the “heart” and “blood vessels” of the hospital. These facilities are vital for daily operations.
Despite being located in the basement, the water pump room is remarkably quiet. Chief Engineer Liu Xiang attributes this to the use of “grid cloth” wrapping during wall decoration, which effectively reduces noise. While conventional walls are made from gypsum board for a smooth appearance, they are prone to cracking in humid, hot environments, resulting in expensive repairs. To prevent this, the project team revised the original plan, replacing gypsum board with mesh fabric and reinforcing edges by using non-woven spinning techniques.
Both the water pump and distribution rooms contain complex equipment and piping systems. During construction, the team utilized advanced BIM technology to simulate and visualize the intricate pipeline layout. Computer modeling enabled technicians to track progress and avoid installation conflicts, minimizing delays caused by rework.
The hospital’s scale also posed unique challenges, particularly regarding bathroom construction. The Inpatient Building alone includes 88 bathrooms per floor, totaling 1,023 bathrooms across the project and covering more than 12,000 square meters. The project team evaluated several construction methods, implemented a “model guidance” system, provided detailed briefings to workers, enhanced process control, and conducted inspections at every stage to ensure quality.
Technological Innovation—Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement
Given its large scale, the Drum Tower Hospital project faced significant technical challenges during construction. The building uses a concrete frame structure. Traditionally, brick masonry begins after pouring concrete columns, which often leads to cracks and detachment of decorative materials, impacting the building’s appearance. After thorough technical research and evaluation, the project team adopted the “core column-core beam combination masonry method.” This method substitutes concrete columns with hollow square bricks, pours concrete inside them, and integrates brick masonry, significantly reducing wall cracking and construction steps, saving up to 4 million yuan in costs.
Another technological achievement is the ice storage air conditioning system. This system utilizes the cooling effect of melting ice to supplement central air conditioning, saving energy and costs. Unlike traditional systems that rely on electricity for cooling, the ice storage system operates primarily at night—refrigeration units produce ice, which is stored in an outdoor underground tank with a capacity of 330 tons of water. During the day, the system rests while the ice melts, absorbing heat and providing cooling. Chief Engineer Liu Xiang notes this “night owl” approach reduces the hospital’s summer air conditioning electricity consumption by at least 20%. In winter, it meets the cooling needs of specific areas like operating rooms without requiring separate refrigeration. By operating during periods of low electricity demand and utilizing peak-valley electricity pricing, the system saves the hospital over 200,000 yuan per month in electricity costs.
The Drum Tower Hospital project prioritizes technological innovation and the adoption of new technologies. Eight innovations were independently developed, and 10 major categories with 26 sub-items of new technology were implemented.
The project was recognized as one of Nanjing’s top 10 iconic buildings in 2012, marking a new milestone for the city’s 20th anniversary and serving as a distinctive symbol of the new century. In 2013, Drum Tower Hospital was designated as a Jiangsu Province Public Institution Energy Conservation Demonstration Unit and received the Excellence Award at the 2013 International World Architecture News Awards.
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