Architecture with health benefits

Spanning three storeys, the timber trusses in this building do more than just bear loads. In fact, their natural finish dovetails perfectly with the wooden furniture – in rooms that are bathed in natural light. A comfortable bench is positioned along the large glass façade, with the oblique glulam beams serving as a functional backrest. Looking outside, you have sweeping views across the city of Tübingen, all the way to the Swabian Alps. This may sound like a concept for a new wellness hotel, but it is actually the design for the New Medical Clinic in Tübingen. White Arkitekter and HPP Architekten were awarded the contract for building the new clinic, with their concept based on a healing and sustainable environment.

At the root of health

This concept centres on the building’s sustainable design and operation, as well as on the positive impact that the architecture has on people. The medical term that is often used in this context is salutogenesis, which was coined by sociologist Aaron Antonovsky and refers to the study of the origins of health. Back in the 1970s, he put forward this way of thinking as complementary to pathogenesis, which describes the causes and development of diseases.

The natural wooden surfaces in the clinic’s nursing area help to create an environment that diverse studies have shown to have a positive effect on human health. As well as this, the architects’ design puts people and nature centre stage, providing a meaningful narrative which – according to Antonovsky – is one of the factors that improve people’s well-being. This means that the architecture should provide the ideal conditions for health to flourish – and not just the health of patients but of staff as well.

Everything in easy reach

Swedish architectural firm White Arkitekter has made a name for itself in timber construction and healthcare facility design, with high-calibre projects in both areas. As in-house health architecture expert Charlotte Ruben explains: “Our focus is on creating healing environments that reduce stress, strengthen mobility and help people to recover.”

At the heart of the clinic is a spacious atrium. A sculptural wooden stairway allows people to walk between the individual storeys and, as the jury’s appraisal puts it, “forms an important orientation point for patients and visitors alike”. This is because user-friendly and welcoming design is vital in such a large healthcare institution. On the third floor, the main walkway leads into an open waiting area consisting of a café, a lounge and a play area for children.

In their new building design, the architects also make reference to the local visual character. The construction and materiality of the nursing wings owe a clear debt to the half-timbered houses for which Tübingen is known.

Holistic sustainability concept

The new clinic for the university city of Tübingen is based on a holistic sustainability concept that uses a resource-friendly construction with a lower carbon footprint. As the main construction material for the blocks that extend out over the base levels, the wood acts as a carbon sink. It binds carbon for many years and replaces materials that have a high-carbon production footprint.

The design also specifies that renewable materials should be used for extensions and in the façade, which further reduces the carbon footprint. When White Arkitekter was awarded the contract, head architect Kristin Schmitt said: “We’re delighted to be able to contribute our knowledge of complex healthcare projects and Scandinavian timber construction expertise.”

Designed for deconstruction

In keeping with the circular principle that goes beyond the planned useful life of a building, the design opts for components and materials that are easy to dismantle. White Arkitekter will bring the design to life together with HPP Architekten, a firm that already has experience in recyclable design, being responsible for The Cradle, Düsseldorf’s first ever timber hybrid building to conform to the principles of circular construction.

The energy concept is geared towards maximum efficiency. The aim here is to use reversible heat pumps to make use of all waste heat produced in everyday hospital life. Electricity is to be supplied via a photovoltaic system on the roof. In the jury’s words: “The holistic energy and technical concept is exemplary in its design. As well as this, particular attention is given to sustainability in the building’s construction and operation and in the context of people in hospital (‘salutogenesis’).”

To implement the sustainability of this project as broadly as possible, the architects worked with an interdisciplinary team of construction specialists, environmental engineers and technology experts. Enabling access to nature for the hospital staff, patients and visitors alike, the landscape architects at Greenbox have created lush green spaces that build a bridge between the clinic and its natural surroundings. All in all, it is the ideal environment for improving patients’ well-being and helping them to recover more quickly.

Text: Gertraud Gerst
Translation: Rosemary Bridger-Lippe
Visualizations: White Arkitekter/HPP Architekten