Design of the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center for the LWL-Clinic Dortmund
GREEN HEALING
The compact structure of the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center designed from Atelier Thomas Pucher fits harmoniously into the scenic surrounding of the existing hospital area. The design of the building compliments the existing pavilion structure, and enhances it through its compact combination.
Four wards per floor are designed around atriums with four facades all of which face the surrounding park. The result is a compact structure of pavilions with human scale volumes that patients can easily identify with which at the same time offers maximum transparency. The patient’s rooms are located as a continuous ring at the perimeter of the wards, each with a direct view into the existing park. Recreation rooms are oriented towards the patios and cuttings. Using the chessboard grid as a guideline the optimal intersection of the building and the surrounding parks was achieved, creating the best possible cross linking functions within the hospital.
The green areas filter into three zones: the outdoor park surroundings of the house, the four exterior spaces between the wards which all open on one side to the park and the four Atriums in the center of each ward.
The organization of the clinic enables long term flexible usage. The stations can be transformed and amended without reconstruction measures.
The result of the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center is a house where personal, patients and visitors feel comfortable and at ease. All rooms obtain maximum natural light, are compact and clearly arranged. The picturesque park allows staff and patients to enjoy the seasons all year round which not only contributes demonstrably to their recovery but also adds quality to their hospital stay.