HEALTH AND SPA

Dear Readers,

The unusually long, hot summer is definitively over, and it’s time to wrap up well! I certainly heeded this advice in List on Sylt when I walked around the Lanser Hof Medical Spa (image above and from p. 104) at a respectful distance. Some of the projects we’ve selected for our AIT issue on health and wellness are inaccessible to the general public. Others, however, you’d only want to visit in case of emergency or medical indication: these dental practices (starting on p. 76), children’s or rehabilitation clinics (from p. 82) are designed in a way that prevents the fear of entering and maximises the quality of stay. It’s unquestionable that good interior design in the healthcare sector is essential for healing and recovery. Gemma Koppen and Dr. Tanja C. Vollmer describe how architectural psychology is reforming hospital construction in their article “Evidence-Based”. The recipe for a pleasant atmosphere in healthcare could be a very simple one: just like home! Under this guiding principle, the team from Hamoo Innenarchitektur transformed a doctor’s residence near Lucerne into a hospice (p. 124). Architects and interior designers were guided by similar design parameters in the successful designs for Three… Nursing Homes (from page 40) in Selfoss, St. Leonhard and Lyngdal. Those who want to stay healthy and look good for as long
as possible would be wise to take preventive measures in good time. Well-designed aesthetic and fitness studios (from p. 100) and swimming pools (from p. 112) support such preventive actions. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a house community in Madrid to set up a private spa (from p. 118), demonstrating that a basement can provide a highly aesthetic setting for wellness of any kind. In line with these inspiring projects, we feature tile and porcelain stoneware trends presented at Cersaie in Bologna (image on the right and from p. 32), panel and wood materials (from p. 64), as well as products for medical practices, hospital rooms and waiting areas (starting on p. 60). The breadth between health and wellness is exemplified by Dominik Reding with “My Night in Neukölln” (p. 54) and Mete Ay with his master’s thesis “Queer Club” (from p. 46) at the AdBK Munich. Take good care and stay healthy!

Best wishes
Petra Stephan, Dipl.-Ing.
Chief Editor
Architect