The nuclear apocalypse may or may not come to pass. One thing that most disaster movies and George Romero can agree on is that radiation can be bad. VERY BAD. After all, just ask Bruce Banner about his relationship with the Hulk and you’ll get a good sense of how radiation isn’t a gift. Fiction aside, the very real threat of radiation and the harm it can do to a human is nothing to joke about. As such, it’s probably best that Nuclear Medicine Hot Lab designs exist. Time for a quick science lesson.
Nuclear Medicine Hot Lab designs are specific rooms in hospitals where storage and preparation of radioactive materials take place. These radioactive materials are required for diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy (not to recreate a real-life Spider-Man). All this is done by extremely clever nuclear medicine technologists who are aided by a molybdenum-technetium generator.
Whilst there’s more scientific terminology that could be added, because not everyone is Stephen Hawking, just know that the work undertaken in a Nuclear Medicine Hot Lab design is vital in examination of various bodily functions, such as osteogenic activity and thyroid functions. Not only this, but other complications, such as cysts, organ enlargement, hematomas, infections, or tumours, can be assessed and diagnosed.
Proposed design for a radiotherapy wing in a hospital designed by our medical architects
What we want to note here is that while a nuclear medicine hot lab design must conform to highly regulated safety standards. The exact layout and design is not set in stone. That is to say that all hot labs have certain equipment present, as well as specific safety procedures to follow. But there is always some variation between each setting, and as such this needs to be taken into consideration.
This is where Johnson Design Partnership and the medical architects we employ come in to assist. Over the years, we’ve made modifications to pre-existing hot labs, as well as creating brand-new labs from scratch. Our creative and talented Midlands and London architects always showcase their ability to produce innovative designs, even for something so particular as radioactive containment.
Healthcare architecture design by Johnson Design Partnership
Safety measures and the regulations regarding healthcare architecture are ever-evolving, which is why we are often tasked with restructuring the layout of a current lab. Furthermore, many hospitals need to expand or recreate their radiotherapy wings with ease of use and safety in mind, as their current setup was designed decades ago when the technology was in its infancy stage.
Whatever the case, safety and functionality are at the forefront of all healthcare architecture projects we undertake. Whilst several Nuclear Medicine Hot Lab designs may have similarities, adaptation and innovation is a key philosophy of Johnson Design Partnership.
In recent years, projects focused on nuclear hot labs have become seamlessly integrated into Johnson Design Partnership’s workload, with numerous projects successfully under our belt to date.
Our midlands and London architects aim to tailor our designs to the specific project’s capacity and needs. For example, the specific equipment kits may differ slightly, depending on the services that the unit is meant to provide. How and where hot lab materials are stored and prepared is something to think about when dealing with older healthcare architecture designs. Similarly, leg rests, workbenches, soaps, other medical instruments may all need specific tailoring for the staff working there.
This is not a problem for our creative folks at JDP. Our medical architects are certainly as skilled at working on hot lab projects as Spiderman is at web-slinging. Not only do we aim to deliver to the high standards of past projects, but we strive to innovate such design processes every time.
Planning remodelling interior design by our London Architects at Johnson Desing Partnership
