How long does it take to build an operating theatre these days? Half an eternity with the conventional method. Five months with Cadolto. Impressive? It gets more impressive when the rooms ordered have to combine cutting-edge surgery equipment, high-end imaging and workflow-oriented space management in the most innovative way possible. In short, when the plan calls for a hybrid operating theatre. Not a problem with Cadolto.

From early March to mid-July 2016, an innovative modular building was erected and equipped with the latest in hybrid operating theatre. The new building at the existing Centre for Surgical Medicine comprises five modules with a total GFA of 270 m². The operating theatre alone now offers 90 m² more space for physicians and patients, and naturally the necessary side rooms were taken into consideration too. The modules provided space for admissions, discharge, control room, sterile storage, a room for angiography equipment and a corridor to transfer to the existing building.

One special challenge of the project: the medical equipment. The ceiling-mounted angiography device in particular called for an extremely precise, stable and very rigid construction design – above all a special heavy-duty ceiling. With dimensions of over 8.5 m x 11.00 m, the entire operating theatre is also self-supporting – and yet it must be designed to be extremely warp-resistant even when bearing heavy loads. Another highlight is the operating theatre floor specially designed by Cadolto in collaboration with LEICA and other leading medical equipment manufacturers. It makes even the most vibration-sensitive work possible. We also supplied Category 1b HVAC equipment. Smooth walls, some with clean room coating, exterior cladding with a composite thermal insulation system, anodised aluminium windows and automatic stainless-steel operating theatre doors were also used in the building – in short, everything that makes a module a high-performance operating theatre.

The technology is not the only innovative aspect of the new operating theatre – the building technique is too: On the second floor, the entire new building was docked with the already existing operating theatre, creating a single unit.

To do this, the exterior cladding was first removed. As existing utility and waste disposal lines crossed the construction site, they had to be taken into account as early as the planning stage. A structural shell with a very narrow equipment base measuring about 7.50 m high was built, along with an operating theatre on top of it with an extensive overhang.

An ambitious project – just the way we like it. These are the real benefits for clients: our speed, expertise and experience.

After all, we handle more than just completing construction with all equipment. As a matter of course, we are also involved in the planning phases – designing the building services, planning the documentation for construction, structural engineering and other physical documentation. And at the end of it all you have another successful modular building from a single source.