The team of COWI A/S, Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Mikkelsen Architects, and STED Landscape has been selected to design Copenhagen’s new diabetes center, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen. Based on the idea of creating a connection to nature, the Center weaves together the indoors and outdoors, in order to stimulate and nurture patients and visitors.
The main entrance to the project faces south to ensure natural lighting, and features a rolling landscape that leads inside, with an in situ poured concrete pathway and landscaped staircases that connect to a public rooftop garden.
On arrival, visitors are greeted by a luscious, rolling landscape leading inside. The area is designed with curiosity in mind – from the outset patients and visitors must feel welcome and enticed to explore.
Common and treatment areas are located on the ground floor of the Center surrounding six courtyards and interspaced by a series of waiting areas, silent rooms, library spaces, and reading benches, with research and treatment areas located above on the first floor.
Designed for patients, relatives, and staff, common areas are organized around small, themed “squares,” for example a “food lab and café by the ‘nutrition square,’ library and display by the ‘knowledge square,’ exercise and training rooms by the ‘fitness square,’ and workshops by the ‘exhibition square.’”
The common areas are typically Nordic in their atmosphere. Floors and slatted ceilings are made of light wood, and throughout the building you sense nature as a central element of the building. The change of seasons will create a beautiful variation during the year. In the winter, the snow will contrast the warm core of the building. In the summer, the vegetation’s changing play of colors will give the building an eventful and diverse character.
The 18,200-square-meter project, which additionally includes a basement carpark, is set to be completed in 2020.
Architects
Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Mikkelsen ArchitectsDeveloper and investor
Capital Region of Denmark, The Novo Nordisk FoundationEngineer
COWI A/S (leading consultant)Landscape architect
STED LandscapeArea
18200.0 m2Project Year
2016Photographs
Courtesy of Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Mikkelsen Architects and STED LandscapeArchitects
Landscape Architect
STED Landscape
News via Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects.
