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Architects: Krampe-Schmidt Architekten BDA
- Area: 1098 m²
- Year: 2017
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Manufacturers: Brick Clinker, Echterhoff – Holland Hoch- und Tiefbau GmbH, Heinemann GmbH, JOSEF DÜRSCHEIDT u. SÖHNE GMBH, Steden, Wilhelm Schmidt Plattierungen
Initial situation
Following the demolition of the parish house with a community centre, St. Elisabeth Gruppe GmbH - Katholische Kliniken Rhein-Ruhr set up a hospice on Hauptstraße in Witten with ten guest rooms. The property is located in a sheltered courtyard close to a busy crossroads in the inner-city area of Witten. The surroundings are dominated by multi-story perimeter block developments.
Urban planning concept
The vacant lot mediates between the existing rows of buildings, and as a gap, it emphasizes the special character of the place within the overall context. The quiet interior of the block offers an ideal place for the new construction of the hospice, protected by the surrounding buildings, close to the town and the traffic – a “village in the town”. The four clearly identifiable, single-story buildings with their gently sloping roofs are grouped around a carefully designed courtyard. In this courtyard, the room of silence is employed as a special structure. The sloping roof is made steeper, and thus highlights the special character of this space in the center of the whole complex. The forecourt is shielded from the crossroads at Hauptstraße by a designed wall and a row of trees.
Utilisation concept
With its clear layout and gently sloping roofs, the building forms a simple and timeless physical structure. Brick masonry gives the hospice a special appearance that is both appropriate to the place and familiar at the same time. The carefully designed corridors are oriented towards the courtyard. Great importance was attached to a high residential quality for the guests and the staff of the hospice. The ten guest rooms are located on the west and south side. Each room is allocated a bathroom and a small bedroom for relatives. In front of the guest rooms are balconies and terraces. The entrance area on the east side was allocated a common room with a fireplace and kitchen. The entrance, the meeting room, and the forecourt can be used for various events. As an addition to this, the room of silence offers a place to reflect and retreat.
