Copenhagen Centre for Cancer and Health, Denmark Healthcare Building, Danish Architecture, Architect

Copenhagen Centre for Cancer and Health, Denmark

Danish Health Care Building Development – design by NORD Architects

29 Sep 2016

New architectural photographs © Adrian Welch, e-architect Editor, from visit to Denmark/Sweden around a week ago:

intriguing street facade, with angular parapet form and flush metal panels:

West elevation, close by an existing building:

East elevation, set behind mature trees:

page updated with new photos 2 Sep 2016 ; 8 Mar 2013

Healthcare Center for Cancer Patients

Design: NORD Architects

e-architect directors Adrian Welch and Isabelle Lomholt will be visiting new/recent architecture in Copenhagen and Malmö later in September, this is a building we aim to see.

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

photographs : Adam Mørk

Background:
Getting cancer is like embarking on a journey, you don’t know where will end. It requires strength to cope with the disease and take on the new identity as a cancer patient. Research shows that architecture can have a positive effect on people’s recovery from sickness. A human scale and a welcoming atmosphere can help people to get better. Despite of this, most hospitals are hardly comfy. Just finding the way from the reception to the canteen can be difficult. If we want people to get better at our hospitals, we need to deinstitutionalize and create a welcoming healthcare.

photograph : Adam Mørk

Design concepts:
The Healthcare Center for Cancer Patients in Copenhagen is conceived as an iconic building, which create awareness of cancer without stigmatizing the patients. Designed as a number of small houses combined into one, the center provides the space needed for a modern health facility, without losing the comforting scale of the individual. The houses are connected by raised roof shaped like a Japanese paper art origami, which gives the building a characteristic signature. Entering the building you find yourself in a comfy lounge area manned by volunteers. From here you move onto the others parts of the house, which includes a courtyard for contemplation, spaces for exercises, a common kitchen where you can learn to cook healthy food, meeting rooms for patients groups etc.

photos : Adam Mørk

Sustainability:
Copenhagen Centre for Cancer and Health complies with Danish building standards, which encompasses energy savings, as well as a low carbon footprint by connecting to a district heating system. The Centre displays envorinmental awareness by using a sustainable drainage system LAR (local rainwater drainage), that diverts the rainwater locally, relieves sewer systems and increases groundwater resources, hereby contributing to biodiversity. In addition to this, the facades and landscape tiling are environmentally certified.

photo : Adam Mørk

Copenhagen Centre for Cancer and Health images / information from NORD architects

Nord Architects

Healthcare Center Nørrebro, Copenhagen, Denmark

image : NORD Architects/MIR
Healthcare Center Nørrebro – early design information
The winning design by NORD Architects is founded by principles of healing architecture and at the same time it suggests aesthetics which are in contrast with that of a conventional health institution. The design is an elaboration on the recognizable contour and scale of a house.