China's 10-Day Hospital: A Construction Marvel

how china build hospital in 10 days

In 2020, China built a hospital in Wuhan in just 10 days to treat patients suspected of contracting coronavirus. The hospital was built to accommodate 1,000 beds over 25,000 square meters. This was not the first time China had built a hospital in under two weeks. In 2003, China built a hospital on Beijing's rural outskirts in just a week to treat patients suffering from SARS. This rapid construction has sparked skepticism and debate about the quality and safety of the hospitals.

Characteristics Values
Location Wuhan, China
Date 2020
Reason Bed shortages in hospitals designated to deal with the coronavirus outbreak
Capacity 1,000 beds
Area 25,000 square meters
Construction Model Prefabricated structures, based on the Xiaotangshan Hospital model
Construction Time 10 days
Construction Workers All available workers in Wuhan working in shifts to ensure round-the-clock construction
Additional Support 40 military doctors

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The hospital was built to treat coronavirus patients

The Chinese city of Wuhan built a new hospital in just 10 days to treat patients suspected of contracting coronavirus. The city was in lockdown, with flights cancelled and checkpoints set up, yet construction crews worked around the clock. The hospital was built to accommodate 1,000 beds and was constructed using pre-fabricated buildings.

The hospital features specialised ventilation systems, double-sided cabinets that connect patient rooms to hallways, and a video system that links doctors with outside experts. The building process was facilitated by the use of 35 diggers and 10 bulldozers, and the site was a 25,000 sq m lakeside location.

This rapid construction is not without its critics, with some arguing that a ten-day hospital is more like a "disease recycling centre" that will infect workers rather than cure patients. Others question the quality of such a rapidly built facility, predicting that constant repairs will be needed in the future.

Despite these concerns, the hospital in Wuhan marks the second time Chinese leaders have responded to a new disease by building specialised hospitals in a remarkably short time. During the SARS outbreak in 2003, a facility in Beijing for patients with that viral disease was constructed in just one week.

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It was constructed in 10 days

In 2020, China built a hospital in Wuhan in just 10 days to treat patients suspected of contracting coronavirus. The hospital was built to accommodate 1,000 beds over 25,000 square meters. Construction began in response to reports of bed shortages in hospitals designated to handle the outbreak.

The new facility aimed to "alleviate the shortage of medical treatment resources and improve the ability to care for patients," according to Wuhan Construction building group manager Zhang Chongxi. To achieve this, "all the workers left in Wuhan" were mobilized to work in shifts, ensuring round-the-clock construction.

The Wuhan hospital was constructed based on the model of the Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was erected in Beijing in just a week during the 2003 SARS outbreak. The speed of construction in both cases was made possible by the use of prefabricated structures.

While China successfully constructed the Wuhan hospital in 10 days, some have questioned the quality of such rapid construction. Critics argue that a 10-day hospital is more likely to be a "disease recycling center" due to the time-consuming nature of installing essential systems like HVAC, which are critical for infection control.

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The hospital is located in Wuhan, China

The rapid construction of the hospital was made possible by the dedicated work of 4,000 workers and the use of 1,000 construction machines, with construction taking place around the clock. The hospital is modelled after the Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was built in Beijing in 2003 during the SARS outbreak. That facility was constructed in just seven days with the help of 7,000 to 7,500 workers.

The construction of Huoshenshan Hospital was live-streamed, allowing people around the world to witness the "construction miracle" as it happened. The hospital is staffed by 1,400 medical personnel from the People's Liberation Army. In addition to Huoshenshan Hospital, Wuhan also constructed temporary "mobile cabin hospitals" to treat patients with milder symptoms. These temporary hospitals were converted from stadiums, convention centres, and conference centres.

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The hospital was built using prefabricated structures

In 2020, China built a new hospital in Wuhan in just 10 days to treat patients suspected of contracting coronavirus. The hospital, named Huoshenshan Hospital, was designed and manufactured using prefabricated steel structures.

Prefabricated steel structure buildings are a new type of building where all the components are manufactured in a factory and then customised according to the structural and architectural requirements of the customers. This method of construction has become increasingly popular in China, with steel structures being used in schools, hospitals, stations, airports, stadiums, and supermarkets.

The use of prefabricated structures allowed for the rapid construction of the hospital, which had a total construction area of 33,900 square meters and a capacity of 1,000 beds. The construction process involved the hard work of thousands of Chinese construction workers who worked day and night to complete the hospital in just 10 days.

Prefabricated building factory production can also help to maximise common quality problems such as wall cracking and leakage. It can improve the overall safety, fire resistance, and durability of the building. The connections between the components are mainly cast-in-place nodes, with steel bars extended into the cast-in-place parts to anchor the connection and ensure the integrity of the structure.

Overall, the construction of Huoshenshan Hospital in just 10 days was a remarkable achievement that demonstrated China's national unity and architectural innovation.

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There were doubts about the quality of the construction

Those with experience in construction and hospital building pointed out that even with a large number of workers and accelerated construction methods, there are many essential aspects of hospital construction that take time and cannot be rushed. For example, the installation of laminar flow systems and the interface between the units are critical to maintaining overpressure in operating rooms to keep out outside germs and harmful substances. Other necessary systems include running return air and exhaust air systems through UV light and chemical baths to kill viruses.

The construction of hospitals in such a short time also raised concerns about the design and planning process. In the experience of some, hospitals are among the most painful design processes due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders and the desire to spread blame. This often results in a longer design phase to ensure better quality and reduce the need for future repairs.

Despite these doubts, China's rapid construction of hospitals during the coronavirus outbreak was a remarkable achievement that garnered international attention. Prefabrication and modular construction methods were utilized to save time and money, and the successful mobilization of resources and workers from across the country was commended. However, some remained skeptical, drawing comparisons to other Chinese construction projects that required extensive repairs and retrofits to meet international standards.

Frequently asked questions

To alleviate the shortage of medical treatment resources and improve the ability to care for patients infected by the coronavirus.

In the central city of Wuhan, China.

The hospital has a capacity of 1,000 beds spread over 25,000 square meters.

The hospital was built using prefabricated structures, with workers working in shifts to ensure round-the-clock construction.

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