The design and layout of the North Wing are the result of a close collaboration between LINK arkitektur and 3XN, as well as the engineering firm Sweco. Additional contributors to the project include the landscape architect Kristine Jensen Tegnestue, and the German architect firm Nickl & Partner.
Optimising the flow within the hospital
Inspired by the lines on a cardiogram graph, the North Wing is shaped as a zigzag, and is intersected by a main ‘artery’ route that runs through the entire wing. The straight, central walkway allows staff to navigate easily from one end of the building to the other, while the surrounding zigzag structure means quiet zones and patient rooms are located away from the central corridor, avoiding unnecessary disturbances.
The zigzag form thus serves numerous purposes: it eases the flow through the hospital by optimising the staff’s circulation routes, while offering patients more comfort and dignity to recover away from the busy hospital environment.
Clear and easy navigation
Wards and outpatient clinics are laid out over three floors and are connected by a continuous axis. Arrival areas are optimised for day patients, while the pre- and postoperative areas are placed next to the operating areas.
Two spiral staircases and four central elevator towers connect the floors to the central common area. The staircases are located in the open atria, where daylight flows into the building from the glass ceiling, as well as through large glass sections in the façade. Common waiting areas are established in connection to the two staircases on each floor. To help orientation, each floor has its own dedicated colour scheme applied to doors, flooring, and selected walls.
A bright and beautiful building
Healing architecture has been a guiding principle at all levels of the North Wing. The large glass windows let daylight flow into the building and create a connection between the interior spaces and the neighbouring public park Fælledparken.
A natural light stone was chosen for the façade to give it a bright and welcoming appearance. Facets in the façade add a form of shade as well giving the building’s exterior a more vibrant expression that changes throughout the day and from different angles.
Part of the city – but one of a kind
The North Wing relates to its surroundings while still asserting its own unique architectural expression. The dynamic form of the North Wing adapts to the surrounding urban space, gradually lowering in scale from north-west to south-east. This means the building is taller towards the high-rise buildings of the existing hospital, while respectfully lowering down towards the classic Copenhagen-style residential buildings across the road. The façade towards Fælledparken is light and open and enters a dialogue with the park rather than forming a solid wall.
Ready for today and ready for the future
The North Wing has a strong expression, conveying openness, transparency, safety and humanism – while at the same time creating a long-lasting, flexible hospital that can adapt according to future operational needs.
Materials used:
1. Zurface – façade Cladding – Jura Gelb
2. HS Hansen / AE Stålmontage – Steel facades
3. HS Hansen – Exterior doors
4. Stocbond – Aluminium ceilings
5. Dampa – Steel ceilings – Interval
6. Armstrong DLW – Linoleum floors
7. Swedoor – Laminate doors
8. IM doors – Steel doors
9. Evers – Floor- and wall tiles
10. Veg Tech – Sedum roofs
