Al-Zahraa Hospital
Program and Capacity
Al-Zahraa General Hospital is planned as a 101-bed full-scope general hospital, designed to provide comprehensive healthcare services to the community of Al-Madinah and its visitors. The facility integrates a wide range of specialized departments, including a fully equipped Diagnostic Imaging Department, 25 outpatient clinics, and five retail shops that enhance accessibility and convenience for patients and visitors alike.
The hospital is organized around three major entrances—the main entrance, outpatient entrance, and emergency entrance, each strategically positioned on a primary neighborhood street to optimize circulation and emergency access. The Emergency Department is directly connected for rapid response, supported by two hospital pharmacies to ensure timely patient care.
Specialized care is embedded within the hospital program, with a dedicated Maternity and C-Section Department housing 11 NICU incubators and 7 PICU beds to support neonatal and pediatric patients. Additional specialized facilities include an Endoscopy Department with a Daycare Unit of four beds, a state-of-the-art Operating Department containing three operating suites and 14 SICU beds, and a Cath Lab supported by six CCU beds.
To complement its clinical functions, the hospital also contains advanced laboratory facilities, comprehensive administrative offices, and an educational conference hall located on the rooftop, designed to host up to 80 participants.
Architectural Concept
The hospital’s architecture draws inspiration from modern Islamic design principles and contextual urban elements. The façades integrate geometric compositions and double-skin treatments for patient suites, ensuring shading, privacy, and improved energy performance. Louver systems are carefully oriented to minimize heat gain, while still providing filtered daylight across the rooms and corridors. A defining feature of the design is the integration of Quranic verses in square Kufic calligraphy, prominently engraved on the main façade and within the courtyard walls.
Courtyards and Interior Design
Three open-air courtyards structure the building’s plan, channeling daylight deep into the interior while maintaining privacy and enhancing natural ventilation, an essential strategy in the hot climate of Al-Madinah. These courtyards function as serene inner sanctuaries, offering moments of calm for patients, families, and staff within the clinical setting.
The main reception spaces are articulated as double-height halls, maximizing the visual connection with courtyards and natural light. The interiors feature a refined palette of stone and warm wood tones, with Islamic patterns integrated as accent screens and decorative elements, blending tradition with contemporary design.
Materiality and Vision 2030 Alignment
The material strategy aligns with Saudi 2030 Vision and the extensive urban renewal surrounding Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi. The external cladding combines travertine stone accents with two variations of pre-cast panels, creating a rhythmic façade composition that balances modernity with cultural continuity.
The architectural expression is both functional and symbolic, an advanced healthcare facility that operates at international standards while reflecting the spiritual, cultural, and environmental context of its setting in Al-Madinah.