The city of Viljandi is characterized by the restrained scale of its historic center, where architecture reflects the historical evolution of Estonia. The new hospital is located at a strategic point, at the intersection of the city’s two main arteries, ensuring both accessibility and visibility while also requiring a sensitive approach, as it stands at the edge of the protected heritage area.

The central idea of the project lies in adapting the scale of the building. Rather than conceiving a monolithic volume, the program is fragmented into smaller bodies. This strategy establishes continuity with the surrounding urban fabric, avoiding the perception of a large hospital complex and creating a more human-scale environment.

The functional program is organized into four volumes of different heights and dimensions, which slide and step back from one another to adapt to the geometry of the site. This arrangement allows for differentiated access points, the creation of intermediate spaces, and a fluid relationship with the city.

A wooden louvered façade acts as a passive solar control system, improving energy performance while introducing a warmth connected to local material traditions. This envelope unifies the complex, modulates its scale, and reinforces its cultural rootedness.

Inside, a large luminous atrium, structured around a sculptural staircase, serves as a social and visual core. Courtyards, terraces, glazed corridors, and waiting areas are conceived as active components of well-being, integrating architecture into the processes of care and healthy living.