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Grundriss Erdgeschoss • Ground floor plan Grundriss 1. Obergeschoss • First floor plan

A s its name already implies, the Urban Hospice is located in the midst of The semi-circular courtyards incised into the façades interlock with the urban, public
context. The inner courtyard, in c ontrast, is c ompletely private and not o bservable
urban life. Frederiksberg is a densely populated district. Death, however, is
a taboo topic. In which way is the hospice integrated in its setting? from outside. The r oof terrace offers a further possibility of being outdoors yet in a
This is the f irst inner-city hospice in Copenhagen. It was our intention to establish a semiprivate atmos phere. The is sue of pr ivate-semiprivate-public c haracterizes the
close reference to everyday life, to the city where the family members live and where whole building, inside as well as outside, in order to achieve gradual degrees regarding
the person who is dying has spent his or her life. This is because some of the citizens privacy and intimacy. This differentiation is important for the users. They are able to
want to end their lives in a place with which they feel connected. With its scale and its choose where to spend time depending on their personal wishes and needs. It is impor-
look, the hos pice fits into precisely this urban context. Passers-by on the str eet walk tant to offer places for retreating and, at the same time staying in the midst of the city.
past a kindergarten, villas and the hos pice. Yet they hardly notice this extraordinary
institution because it seems so natur al. The hos pice has a lif e- affirming aura. The r How important is the exchange with fellow patients and which are the rooms
architectural quality makes the building an essential component in the urban develop- available for this?
ment. The hospice does not hide and the integration in the urban surroundings to a The common rooms are the he art of the hos pice. There is a c entral, multifunctional
great extent eliminates the taboo topic. It is interesting that the en trance and the exit room where the me als are eaten and where meetings, concerts, readings and other
are identical and not designed to be separate as one might expect. When entering, it events take place. This room is easy to get to and to discretely leave again. The inner
may thus indeed happen that one encounters a hearse. courtyard and the roof terrace are additional, very important shared zones for the stay
in the hospice and the social togetherness. The individual needs vary widely. Each
r The hospice replaces an earlier building with ten beds in the same place. Does patient and his or her family members are to have the possibility of determining the
the new building represent the next generation of hospices? degree of privacy the hospice offers. The majority of the users are interested in meeting
Yes, the new hospice represents a completely new generation of hospices which are other people or simply spending time and exchanging experiences with persons who
operated in an inno vative way. One of the maj or differences is that the o ld building are in the same situation. On average, the patients spend 16 days in the Urban Hospice
closed itself off so that it was self-contained. The new hospice with its 16 beds opens of Frederiksberg. Some of the p atients also r ecover and ar e able to go home, into a
towards the outside and deliberately communicates with its surroundings. nursing home or into the hospital.

r Planning a hospice is not among the routine tasks of architects. This challenge r The hospice has been in operation for about one year and a half. Which feed-
makes it necessary to focus intensely on the users’ needs. How did you and your back did you get from the residents, the staff, the client and the neighbours?
team prepare for this? A few weeks ago, the city administration of Frederiksberg gave an award to the Urban
We obtained this commission through an application procedure and not a competition. Hospice for its architectural qualities. The jury praised the “warm, protective and cosy
In our tender, we suggested a planning process which strongly involves the users. The atmosphere” we created and it emphasized the respectful approach to life and death
design was to become a cooperation between the client, the staff, the patients and us. which can be felt everywhere in the building. The staff and the client are very pleased
We knew that we would need professional know-how and specific input. No architect with the buil ding. They appreciate being able to serve the p atients and their family
had prior expertise in this field. We wanted to break new ground by entering into members in a se tting which has a sup portive effect as t o function and atmos phere.
intense dialogue with experts. We directed the cooperation process. Without the know- Some of the neighbours think that the hospice has been sensitively integrated, others
how of the hospice staff, we could not have succeeded in designing such a significant, are more sceptical. In the opinion of the passers-by, the hospice merges with the life in
successful building. the street and the nei ghbourhood. The hospice staff receives much positive feedback
from family members who have emotional, personal stories to tell about their short but
r Which needs for privacy on the one hand and participation in public life on the intense experiences. These stories are the lifelines of the hospice which is interwoven
other does a hospice have to satisfy? with the city and all its inhabitants.

AIT 11.2017 • 123