The timber facade of Waldkliniken Eisenberg hospital and its expansive glazing establish a visual connection with the outdoors; daylight and views of nature are defining features throughout.
Architect Matteo Thun believes they won the commission because they recognised an industry ripe for revolution. Matteo Thun & Partners had extensive experience in hotel design, and at Waldkliniken Eisenberg they have created a fusion of both worlds: hospitecture.
”It’s a design language that combines the aesthetics of hospitality projects with those of healthcare. Waldkliniken is neither a clinic nor a hotel. We call it ’hospitecture’ – tomorrow’s hospitals should not be ’sterile boxes’. As the fa√ßade weathers to a silvery patina, it will blend into the forest. In 50 years, this building will look even better,” says Matteo Thun, founder of Matteo Thun & Partners.
Every patient room views of the surrounding forest
The hospital’s circular floor plan ensures that every patient room enjoys views of the surrounding forest. Here, architecture and nature converge with the aim of promoting patient wellbeing.
”Wood is a living material that conveys warmth and a sense of security. It creates a connection to nature that is often absent in clinical environments. Healing Architecture may be a buzzword now – but it strikes at the heart of the matter. For us architects, it’s about creating physical and spatial psychological wellbeing in the interplay between staff, patients and their families,” says Matteo Thun.
Text: Mattias Boström Photo: Matteo Thun & Partners
