huber staudt architekten bda

In 1983 the Wichernkrankenhaus was built on the premises of the „Evangelische Johannesstift“ as a five-storey building with three bed wards, each providing 33 beds in a strictly east-west orientation. Three two-storey buildings attached to the north like fingers housed a medical centre. These buildings lacked the flexibility for today's goals in the care and rehabilitation of geriatric patients under economic constraints.

The performance requirements encompassed an efficient new building of three geriatric wards during ongoing operation and the following conversion of the old building into a geriatric service centre. The aim of the design was the contemporary implementation of the spatial programme within the existing building site and the preservation of the valuable tree population while making best use of the existing topography. Two compact three-storey structures on the existing footprint, together with two connecting bridge elements, accommodate the required rooms of the three wards, lying on top of each other. The two bed wings are slightly spread like the existing structure, which emphasizes the orientation to the landscape and to the adjacent carp pond.

Facing the collegiate church a flat ramp suitable for the handicapped provides access to the new building for visitors and users. The oratory above the entrance conveys the confessional orientation, the large window frames the church tower. The partly two-storey room has a skylight, the raw materiality of the concrete gains due to adjacent wooden elements a warm emanation. The bright, white interiors of the wards are completed with wooden window frames and handrails and create in this way a homely atmosphere.

Brief
extension of 3 geriatrics wards

Time
2001 - 2017

Usable area
643 qm

Gross area
1.101 qm

Costs
2,0 Mio. EUR

Client
Freie Universität Berlin

Team
Enno Efkes, Sofia Grammatikopulu, Christian Huber, Joachim Staudt