The ward at Haraldplass Deaconess Hospital in Bergen was designed by CF Møller Architects and was opened late last year by Norway prime minister Erna Solberg. Every patient has a view of the surrounding valley and city and the new building follows the course of the Møllendal River, creating a curve in the façade.
“The developer, the foundation and the old building at Haraldsplass are completely unique, and it has been an honour to continue the beautiful built heritage at Haraldsplass,” said Christian Dahle, partner and architect at CF Møller Architects.
“As architects we are absorbed in our surroundings, and research and experience show we are affected by our surroundings. It was especially inspiring to work with Haraldsplass, which features distinctiveness and qualities from different periods. It is, however, the architect Per Grieg's building structure from 1940 that is the very backbone of the place,”
Unlike traditional hospital buildings there are no long corridors. Wards units are situated around and along two large covered atria, which create the framework for two different communal areas: A public arrival area with reception, café, shop and seating areas, and a more private room solely for patients and their guests define the space. The atria draw daylight into the building creating easy orientation and good overview.
“We used our experience from Akershus University Hospital in Oslo as well as two assignments in Bergen for Haukeland University Hospital – a newly completed A&E and a laboratory building, bringing together research laboratories and laboratories for patient diagnostics,” added Dahle.
The new building adds 170 additional beds to A&E. The original hospital was opened in 1940 with room for 100 patients. A hallmark was the fact that patients had a view of the city and the fjord.
“We usually call Haraldsplass the beautiful swan at the foot of the mountain Ulriken. Many hospitals have buildings and surroundings that people find alienating. Per Grieg's architecture is precise and tight in its structure, and at the same time beautiful and friendly. Per Grieg was one of the big, important Bergen architects and Haraldsplass is one his most important works in a long career. We believe it is important to have respect for the qualities of the place.”
CF Møller Architects is recognised worldwide for its expertise in healthcare. It is behind Akershus University Hospital in Oslo, the Emergency and Infectious Diseases Unit at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö and Aarhus University Hospital, which are among the most recently completed projects. C.F. Møller Architects is currently working on health buildings in Germany, England and Denmark. The hallmark of all its projects is an evidence-based approach that is also known as Healing Architecture.
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