Scheitlin Syfrig Architekten

Description

In cooperation with the former pathology department and the community centre, a new ensemble was created at the hospital site, which is arranged around a well-proportioned courtyard. The new building takes the form of a compact volume with four slightly cantilevered elements. The resulting loggias give the building a discreet visual dynamic while the arrangement creates efficient and compact pathways. The core of the building serves several functions: in addition to the vertical access, it accommodates various ancillary rooms, depending on the floor. The core zone includes two blocks of rooms as well as a central corridor. Horizontal access within the wards is provided by a circular corridor. The lounge is divided into two parts comprising the living and dining areas, one facing south and the other seaward and both connected by sight lines. On the upper floors are three psychiatric nursing wards with 20 beds each, and the ground floor accommodates three therapy rooms. The three-storey timber building with a post-and-beam structure supporting the upper floors stands on a reinforced concrete base. The exterior appearance is characterised by the rhythm of wooden elements, floor-to-ceiling windows and ornamental fretwork. These elements clearly refer to the long tradition of timber construction in eastern Switzerland, and yet the overall impression is urban.