Healthcare architecture for future working methods

H-Huset, Örebro University Hospital

Healthcare is constantly evolving with new working methods and advanced technical equipment being developed to provide patients with the most effective care possible. In tandem, designing flexible spaces that can be easily adapted to the development is vital in healthcare architecture.

Exterior image of a hospital building with six floors, white plaster, and a protruding section in red brick against a clear blue sky. A large part of the facade is covered with vertical windows.

Facts about the project

  • Client

    Örebro läns landsting och Regionservice

  • Place

    Örebro, Sweden

  • Status

    Completed

  • Photographer

    Tim Meier, Jan Lindahl

Evening image from the street showing the backside of a six-story hospital building in white with a one-story section in red brick. Entrance to the emergency department is located in the corner of the one-story section.
Backside of the hospital building in red brick with large window surfaces. Wooden benches with high backs facing a lawn with some newly planted trees.

Healthcare design creating space for innovation and emotions

A hospital is a place where hi-tech and research share space with strong emotions. It is a place visited by people when they are at their most vulnerable and need space for peace and tranquility, and where health professionals need the best possible conditions to provide optimal care. Sweco Architects won the competition with a Danish partner to design a new healthcare facility at the Örebro University Hospital campus. The new building, known as H-Huset, is an evidence-based healthcare environment with space for both innovation and emotions. Our building service system consultants also participated in the project with contributions that included design and construction documentation, as well as floor plans.

Hospital design with flexible spaces for future needs

Örebro University Hospital has long been at the forefront of modern healthcare design. For the development to continue, new spaces are needed that can meet the requirements of future working methods and accommodate the constantly evolving technical equipment, which provide patients with the most effective care possible. Therefore, flexible spaces are needed that can be easily adapted to future needs with minimal effort.

 

  • Exterior image of a hospital building with six floors, white plaster, and a protruding section in red brick against a clear blue sky. A large part of the facade is covered with vertical windows.
  • Hospital corridor with a small wooden reception desk on the right and a waiting room with green chairs on the left. Two people of the hospital staff are walking in the corridor.
  • Lounge area in the hospital with large windows on the right. You can see some people sitting in the blue and orange seating furniture.
  • Intensive care room with two hospital beds. Medical equipment on the far wall.
  • Hospital corridor on an upper floor where the left side has a railing overlooking an open area from the lower level. The far wall is covered with plants as a man walking down the corridor.
  • Patient room with white walls in hospital with a hospital bed on the right and an armchair on the left.
  • Lecture room with fixed folding chairs covered in blue and green fabric.
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Aiding recovery using healthcare architecture as a tool

In addition to the technical areas that a hospital requires, the right conditions for recovery are also needed. Research shows that factors such as greenery, daylight, and art create good conditions for well-being and recovery. Therefore, we have designed H-Huset as a comb to optimize natural light, with views of beautiful green landscapes and a town in motion.

Another challenge in the project was to consider the surroundings and make the new building fit in seamlessly. This is facilitated by the creation of a square at the hospital’s entrance, easing the transition between the hospital area and the town, and generating a welcoming atmosphere. All in all, the end result is a state-of-the-art high-tech hospital where innovation and emotions are woven together in harmony.

Learn more about Sweco’s offer within healthcare architecture.

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