Henn and C.F. Møller Design New Extension for Iconic University Hospital in Germany
German architecture practices Henn and C.F. Møller Architects have won an international competition to design a 35,000sqm extension to the hospital complex of RWTH Aachen in Germany. Their proposal has been selected among twelve other entries, as it creates a minimum visual impact in relevance to the iconic high-tech university hospital from the 1970s.
Courtesy of HENN + C.F. Møller Architects
The extension is mostly underground below the lush greenery and the vast landscape which shall serve the patients, staff, and public. It is designed, according to both firms, based on the principles of ‘Healing Architecture’. The underground facilities get their fair share of natural light and accessibility to the green space, and the building itself rises to one end where the entrance is located. The “sweeping and generous gesture,” as the architects describe it, creates a warm and inviting entrance, with views of the rooftop to guide the circulation of visitors inside the extension.
The new extension includes a central surgery area with 31 separate surgery units, a day clinic with four surgery units, and 3 extensive care units. That is in addition to anesthetics, bed preparation, entrances, and service unit. It, also, introduces open-space hubs for staff throughout the flexible layout of the operations floor, to enhance teamwork and relations between staff.
“The award-winning designs are characterized by their functionality, transparency and futuristic design, and are harmoniously integrated into our existing core building,“ said Peter Asché, Commercial Director, University Hospital RWTH Aachen.
