extension and conversion lkh knittelfeld

situation
the extension, which is located in a park in the centre of the city, is adjacent to the existing building on the south side. in order to integrate the extension gently into the existing structure, the building is lowered into the ground by one storey. sloping lawns lead down to the lowest level of the building, creating a peaceful green space in front of the patient rooms. starting from the reorganised entrance hall in the old building, a glass bridge connects it to the new building. the new building is only set back from the existing building as far as necessary to ensure efficient routing.

building volume
the interior concept and exterior form of the developed structure are derived from its northern location and the park setting: 1) the façade of the new building tilts away from the old building at an angle of 18°, 2) the resulting funnel-shaped atrium is further enlarged by six room-depth recesses on the first and second floors. these tree-lined recesses structure the functional zones of the new building and give the park back a piece of green space. 

daylight
the building breaks open in the middle of its cross-section. along the sloping north wall, direct sunlight falls into the station corridors on both upper floors through skylight strips and floor-to-ceiling glazing. the sloping, white-painted walls in the supply zones reflect and scatter the incoming daylight. the north-facing patient bathrooms also receive natural light through skylights. even when the sky is overcast, the entire 21-metre-deep building remains bright and welcoing. the north-facing patient rooms are glazed across the entire width of the room, but remain free of direct sunlight. this provides a generous view from the hospital bed.