An enlightened age: Building the naval hospitals

Abstract

Summerson writes that, in the spirit of the Enlightenment, the notion of ‘bienfaisance’, literally meaning the desire to render society more reasonable and more humane, liberated the scope of both hospital and prison planning. Both types of institution housed people who were deprived of their freedom either by disability or by force of law; therefore, we find similarities in the disposition of space and in the degree of humanitarianism expressed in their outward appearance. This observation can be transferred to naval hospital design, where architecture was combined to fulfil a twofold purpose. The high walls, sturdy massing and pared-down details intimated a strict economy of means, but also a strong sense of gravitas and authority. This visual authoritarian character was fundamental to the identity of a naval hospital, for whilst the prime intention was to provide efficient medical care, an equally important consideration was to maintain discipline and prevent sailors from escaping.