SSH, a leading masterplanning, infrastructure, building design and construction supervision firm in the region, has announced the opening of the Late Salwa Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah Stem Cell and Umbilical Cord Centre in Kuwait, designed by the practice.

The 12,000-sq-m state-of-the-art healthcare and research facility includes an outpatient unit for healthy adult stem cell collection, a fully self-sufficient cryolab, which stores adult and cord blood stem cells, as well as stem cell research facilities.

SSH said the operational organisation of the building was planned jointly by its medical planning team and specialist advisors, resulting in the development of a unique building that caters to the clients’ specific functional needs. The location of departments within the facility is governed by convenient access points and an efficient circulation system that minimises the travel distances of staff, donors, patients, visitors and blood samples.

“This state-of-the-art facility is set to increase capacity for stem cell services, improve turnaround times for processing, as well as offer the potential for research-related activities, all while ensuring that any cell products are produced in accordance with the strictest international accreditation standards,” remarked Khalil Alonaizi, the resident director (Kuwait) at SSH.

“Apart from delivering supervision consultancy services, SSH oversaw the output of all architecture, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering, plumbing, quantity surveying, medical planning and medical equipment spatial planning, as well as interior design documentation for the project,” he added.