Bispebjerg Hospital


Copenhagen, Denmark | 2014 | Shortlisted competition entry

Our proposals for Bispebjerg Hospital in 2014 seek to give the hospital gardens and surrounding landscape a human-scale relationship with a unique character and diversity. By creating a more integrated and accessible approach to the hospital through the landscape, we hope to create an Ideal place for reflection, contemplation, conversation and intimacy. 

Working in collaboration with architects Rafael De La-Hoz and Dissing + Weitling, the scheme introduces themes present In the Danish landscape and that are contextual to the site, such as woodlands and rolling plain meadows. This is defined through 'bands' which sculpt the undulating landscape and rise gently to meet the entrance to the hospital. A series of steps and terraced spaces rise to the central square, which is envisaged as a new outdoor heart of the scheme with views out over historic Bispebjerg. 

To the west of the front square the landscape adopts the topographical language of built terraces that make Bispebjerg so characteristic. This gesture allows the Lower Meadow to maintain the visual connection as you walk to Vestre Laengdevej from the central terraces, which is framed to the north by the terraced woodland.

To the east of the hospital the proposed landscape bands create a boulevard, envisaged as an active linear space. Here, pockets of seating and the hospital active facade will interact as a busy and protected corridor between the Somatic Quarter and the future Psychiatric Quarter.

As you move within the building to the north one finds a series of courtyards with varying characters. The main central courtyard is the social core of the hospital and is surrounded by waiting areas with retail. To the north there is a second courtyard, the 'Healing Courtyard'. This is a more intimate and tranquil space as it has controlled access to serve areas where people are in a state of recovery or intensive care. Here loved ones can have a moment of calm, peace or conversation surrounded by colourful aromatic planting.

In between the hospital wings the proposed landscape bands interweave with the building bands creating a series of gardens that connect from the east and the west into the hospital central spaces, courtyards and departments.  Finally on the north facade of the hospital to the west the Woodland Meadow Garden wraps around into the Lakeside Park, creating an open woodland meadow framed by trees that can be used as grounds for patients to get fresh air and some exercise when the weather is warmer.  

Finally, a proposed amphitheatre frames the hospital to the north and aims to create another east-west pedestrian link. The central open meadow drops from west to east, thus accentuating the existing lake. Here, people can sit along a wooden deck and enjoy the view against the background of the hospital's north facade.