- Area: 1230 m²
- Year: 2007
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Photographs:Atelier Zündel & Cristea
Text description provided by the architects. EPSAN, a psychiatric establishment located near the entrance to the community of Brumath (to the north of Strasbourg), is organized, behind an enclosure wall, like a little city made up of a number of pavilion buildings, connected by an orthogonal network of roads. The project included the completion, within the UMB, of a Day Hospital, a Full Time department, communal areas and consultation offices, with each of these sections requiring their own entrance. In the image of the establishment’s existing pavilions, in the south of the grounds, the UMB was completed in the shape of an open “U”, enclosing a garden.
The ambience, in the image of traditional Japanese pavilions, centers around a piece of nature, thereby creating a contemplative setting. The continuous, covered walkway linking the three entities, providing a smooth transition between interior and exterior, is an element that reflects this specific spatial relationship. The garden extends to the interior via two courtyards that stand next to the main entrances. Thus, the first sight upon arriving at one of the entrance halls is a view through to the garden.