A boat-shaped hospital designed by a Russian billionaire is set to be part of the ambitious $50 billion Tunisia Economic City development.
The hospital will sit on an artificial lake in the Dubai-inspired city, which is being built in stages by the Tunisian government, The Independent reported.
Staff will wear marine-style uniforms to fit the theme of the hospital, it was reported.
Vasily Klyukin, who has previously designed yachts and boats, is the architect of the White Sails Hospital and Spa. The hospital is being built by international engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti with investment from Saudi Arabia’s Lalei Al Barakah.
The architect envisions that a visit to the hospital will feel “more like a cruise” than a medical appointment, the Daily Mail reported.
The interior design for the hospital is yet to be completed, but Klyukin claims it can be done within four years.
The Tunisia Economic City project, said to be inspired by Dubai, aims to boost tourism, international trade, finance, media and capitalise on the medical-tourism industry.
According to Al-Monitor, the city aims to attract $5 billion to $7 billion in investments per year and 2 million visitors a year by 2030. The total construction of the city, being built in Tunisia’s Enfidha district, will extend over a period of 15 years. The city is also expected to contribute to the creation of at least 200,000 jobs.