Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects with Aarhus Arkitekterne, has just been announced as the winner of the competition to design the new extension of the New Hospital Hvidovre in Denmark. The new 30,000-square-meter extension consists of an emergency ward, a pediatrics ward and obstetrics and cardiology departments. Expected to be completed in 2019, clarity, flexibility, respect, green garden spaces and spatial variation are the key features to this winning design. More images and architects’ description after the break.
In this winning design, special attention has been paid to creating a unique main entrance to the hospital and to creating an architectural interaction between the existing hospital and the new extension. By understanding the building principles of the existing hospital we designed the extension to become a continuation of the existing structure. The architectural idea is to develop the concrete base into a flexible and respectful new interpretation while maintaining the orthogonal geometry. The design of the extension is organic and empathetic, which makes it vibrant, expressive and dramatic.
The new green garden spaces will act as structuring focal points in the new extension. They connect all floors and bring daylight to the lowest level, where the parking area and the new main entrance are placed. As a consequence of the majority of visitors arriving at the hospital by car, the new main entrance is placed level with the parking area, so one moves up from below and through the building.
On arrival, all patients, relatives and employees must feel welcome and accommodated. People must be received in a proper manner, which leaves them in no doubt about where to go. We created a new platform for arrival which angles towards the hospital in one smooth movement and leads below the building, where the green garden spaces will act as way-finding elements.
The judges’ report states: “The proposal demonstrates humility towards the particular cultural heritage of this hospital and is also an innovative example of the difficult architectural and functional task it is to extend one of our country’s finest hospitals.”
This proposal was so outstanding compared with the other six competition proposals that the jury chose to appoint only one winning proposal to proceed to the second round.
Architects: schmidt hammer lassen architects, aarhus arkitekterne
Location: Hvidovre, Denmark
Sub-Consultants: Søren Jensen Rådgivende Ingeniørfirma, Royal Haskoning, Kragh & Berglund Landscape architecture and Urban Design
Client: The Capital Region of Denmark
Area: 30,560 m2
Competition Status: 1st prize in restricted competition
Competition Year: 2013
Expected Completion: 2019
