Page 141 - AIT1116_E-Paper

Wo sich Alt und Neu begegnen, bilden mittels Laserschnitt passgenau angeschlossene Glasfugen den Übergang. • Where the old and the new meet, exactly adjoining, laser-cut glass joints indicate the transition.

combine innovative dentistry medicine with unique interior design. Historic grandeur
and consistent modernity, beauty and functionality were to be linked in a unique way.
His wish was for a culturally fascinating setting with a high aesthetic appeal where
patients would be able to relax free from fear and perfectly cared for.

A unique combination of beauty and functionality

Comprehensive preliminary consideration and detailed planning preceded the conver-
sion. As a first step, the hall was restored with the requisite care. Damaged stucco was
reconstructed; ceiling painting restored, colours and ornaments were renewed. The
floor, however, had to be completely replaced. A natural-stone edging now upgrades
the extensive terrazzo floor and separates the practice zone from the existing historic
exterior walls. In a second stage, an innovative spatial concept was implemented, a
kind of “inside architecture” with three treatment units. The new extensive installati-
ons hereby keep a respectful distance to the lavish décor. The encounter of the old and
the new is given immaterial qualities with the help of glazed “joints”. The glass panes
for this were exactly joined to the historic fabric with laser-cut edges. The interaction
of glass walls as well as existing and new mirror areas opens up surprising perspecti-
ves: An architectural game of deception resulted. The principles of the Kaisersaal’s
structure were preserved which has made it possible to experience the large space in
its entirety even after the addition of the treatment rooms. The two treatment rooms
on the entrance level are inverted in their layout. A difference in the way they are used
only becomes manifest in the direct access to the recovery zone in the southern room
where dental surgical interventions under anaesthesia are performed. In the recovery
room, the patient is in a spatially protected niche. Grundriss Erdgeschoss • Ground floor plan

The installations keep their distance to the lavish décor

With the addition of a mezzanine, a third treatment room right below the historic cei-
ling painting was created. Its layout was designed based on the stucco ceiling: The
glass walls bordering the room exactly adjoin a suitable relief. Thanks to the floor-to-
ceiling glass walls, on the treatment gallery the space is noticed in its entirety and,
even from below, the wide view of the whole ceiling of the hall is not obstructed either.
The necessary privacy during the treatments is ensured by “switchable”
(transparent/opaque) glazing at the front. The existing ceiling height of the former ball-
room required a complicated spatial structure in its detail. The overlapping as to
height of the lower treatment rooms with the upper space resulted in flush seating
areas for consultations. They communicate openness, perspective and are visually part
of a clear, consistent structure. The individual treatment rooms as well as the hall are
permanently supplied with fresh air (incoming/outgoing air). Depending on the sea-
son, a pipe network in the floor can be used for heating or cooling. All the treatment
rooms are of the highest technical standard. The lighting design as bright as day out-
side the treatment areas emphasizes the cheerfulness of the Wilhelminian Neo-
Baroque and, at the same time, signals clinical cleanliness and accuracy. Grundriss Zwischengeschoss • Mezzanine floor plan

AIT 11.2016 • 141