Wuhan Hospital, China
Images of a timelapse were spread all over social media and news outlets in February 2020 as China built a new hospital facility in around 2 weeks 'from scratch'. News outlets reported that the facility has around a 1,000-bed capacity and was designed, procured and built-in this timescale.
It is more likely that the hospital facility is part of a larger state-run emergency action plan which has been sitting designed on a shelf especially for such an event after the last SARs virus outbreak in China.
Regardless if the modular unit construction or design is included in the timescale, it is still an amazing feat to build such a scale of off-site modular building in such a short space of time, and questions are now being asked about why this is not being implemented across the construction industry. The concept is not new, and the Egan Report and Latham report both attempted to resolve issues with wastage in the construction industry.
Further studies will no doubt be carried out on the back of these buildings construction timescales to see what lessons can be learned to improve construction timescales globally.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Cancer Centre at Guy's Hospital
- Conserving Ruchill Hospital water tower
- Fountaine Hospital Almshouse
- How a Complex Hospital Building for Orthopaedic Services was Constructed in Less Than Four Months
- How to Develop the Most Constrained Hospital Sites to Reduce Waiting Times and Improve Patient Care
- Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
- North Middlesex University Hospital Maternity Unit
- Researching the history of Fountaine Hospital Almshouse
- Sea Sand Tower Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Featured articles and news
The challenge as PFI agreements come to an end
How construction deals with inherit assets built under long-term contracts.
Skills plan for engineering and building services
Comprehensive industry report highlights persistent skills challenges across the sector.
Choosing the right design team for a D&B Contract
An architect explains the nature and needs of working within this common procurement route.
Statement from the Interim Chief Construction Advisor
Thouria Istephan; Architect and inquiry panel member outlines ongoing work, priorities and next steps.
The 2025 draft NPPF in brief with indicative responses
Local verses National and suitable verses sustainable: Consultation open for just over one week.
Increased vigilance on VAT Domestic Reverse Charge
HMRC bearing down with increasing force on construction consultant says.
Call for greater recognition of professional standards
Chartered bodies representing more than 1.5 million individuals have written to the UK Government.
Cutting carbon, cost and risk in estate management
Lessons from Cardiff Met’s “Halve the Half” initiative.
Inspiring the next generation to fulfil an electrified future
Technical Manager at ECA on the importance of engagement between industry and education.
Repairing historic stone and slate roofs
The need for a code of practice and technical advice note.
Environmental compliance; a checklist for 2026
Legislative changes, policy shifts, phased rollouts, and compliance updates to be aware of.
UKCW London to tackle sector’s most pressing issues
AI and skills development, ecology and the environment, policy and planning and more.
Managing building safety risks
Across an existing residential portfolio; a client's perspective.
ECA support for Gate Safe’s Safe School Gates Campaign.
Core construction skills explained
Preparing for a career in construction.
Retrofitting for resilience with the Leicester Resilience Hub
Community-serving facilities, enhanced as support and essential services for climate-related disruptions.





















