On Thursday, the foundation stone for the future CHL Centre hospital was laid on Route d'Arlon in Luxembourg City.
Spanning 54,000 square metres across nine floors and three basements, the new Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL) will boast state-of-the-art facilities. Among its planned features are 18 operating theatres, six endoscopy rooms, and two helipads.
© Domingos Oliveira
The primary objective of the new hospital is to consolidate all major services onto a single site. Currently, the CHL operates across two locations: Rue Nicolas Ernest Barblé, which also houses the National Institute of Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology (INCCI), and the Eich site. The forthcoming development will centralise these services at the former maternity hospital site on Route d'Arlon.
Regarding the fate of the old buildings, Paul Mousel, Chairman of the CHL Board of Directors, stated that the decommissioning and eventual demolition of the old hospital are inevitable.
However, this process is part of a larger strategy to optimise space utilisation. Mousel explained, "What we're doing here is a jigsaw puzzle. First, we build something new, then we demolish something, then we get space again and we can build something new."
Romain Nati, General Manager of the CHL, emphasised the project's commitment to innovation, stating, "It will be the most modern and technically innovative hospital in the Greater Region."
Nati envisions a facility where outpatient and inpatient services are seamlessly integrated, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration and improving patient care. The hospital will boast cutting-edge equipment such as PET-MRI and MRI in operating theatres, allowing for real-time imaging during surgical procedures. "That's something you won't find in the immediate vicinity," Nati stressed.
Jos Dell, the architect behind the new CHL Centre, revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic influenced the building's design. "Certain adjustments had to be made, albeit to a limited extent. We incorporated a pandemic concept into the plans, ensuring that different areas could be segregated, if necessary," explains Dell.
Key considerations included implementing measures to separate flows within the building during pandemics, such as the installation of gates to create secure zones. Dell emphasised the importance of adaptability and preparedness in ensuring the safety and functionality of the hospital during unforeseen health crises.
Scheduled for completion by the end of 2028, the new CHL Centre will offer 476 beds, with 79% allocated to private rooms. Additionally, it will provide 126 day-hospital places for outpatient treatment.
The project comes with a price tag of €821 million, a figure that includes nearly €100 million earmarked for the acquisition of modern medical equipment.
