North Zealand Hospital’s fresh design

The clover-shaped hospital pavilion embraces its rural landscapes to help patients heal. The 115,000 sqm hospital is based on the concept of "healing architecture" and is at the centre of an extensive urban development project in Hillerød, Denmark.

The one of a kind new Northzealand hospital in Hillerød, Denmark seeks to reinvent hospital designs for the future. the design focusses on patient wellbeing to aid quicker recovery, with a structure that maximises interaction with nature and innovative services such circadian lighting that plays an important part in human health and wellbeing. The hospital also aims to be the most digitally enabled project in Denmark with automated systems to maximise hospital efficiency so healthcare workers have more time to spend with patients and is highly sustainable with its low energy design. Using viewing software, a digital twin of the building has been created, enabling the client to virtually walk around the building and its departments. It is an exemplar project that is already winning awards.

The new North Zealand Hospital pushes the envelope of previous hospital designs by increasing focus on social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The vision for the 115,000 sqm hospital, including its 576 bedrooms and 24 operating rooms, is based on healing architecture.

Helping heal people with healing architecture

Healing architecture is all about helping patients and residents in the process of healing and recovery. To promote healing and well-being, healing architecture has three main goals, including:

Prevent environmental stresses (e.g., noise from slamming doors, a lack of privacy, and barriers).
Bring patients and residents as close to nature as possible (e.g., outdoor views, sufficient sunlight, and fresh air).
Empower patients and residents to feel in control (e.g., offer opportunities to access outside spaces and other resources).

“The entire healthcare sector is undergoing a shift—and all healthcare facilities from hospitals to nursing homes need to feel more welcoming and comfortable for patients, staff, and visitors. Our role in this shift is to actively provide our architecture healing design principles, solutions, and products,” says Kevin Smith, Ramboll Director Healthcare UK.

Even its low-rise clover shape is designed to create coherence between form and function. The design focuses on the wellbeing—to aid in quickening recovery—by creating pleasant places for patients, visitors, and staff that seamless connect them to nature. This includes an expansive and secure roof garden above the diagnosis and treatment floors.

Ambitious energy efficient design

The hospital is designed to meet the energy requirements of "Building Class 2020" according to the Danish Building Regulations 2015 and a DGNB gold certification, making it one of the most energy efficient hospitals ever to be built.

For an energy-efficient foundation, the energy supply is based on district heating and cooling. Additionally, more than 5,000 metres squared of photovoltaic panels will provide low carbon electricity to cover approximately 20% of operational electricity consumption.

The building resides on a low-lying site where the control of rainwater run-off is especially challenging. To manage this, we designed a sustainable drainage systems consisting of swales and ponds to limit the rainwater run-off from the site.

A multidisciplinary collective effort

Appointed by the joint venture of Herzog & De Meuron and Vilhelm Lauritzen architectural companies, Ramboll’s role in the new hospital project began in 2017. Our efforts cross structural, mechanical, electrical, geotechnical, civil, and facade engineering elements of development.

Ramboll coordinates and collaborates with both the design and construction teams to deliver the clients’ architectural vision for modern hospital. MOE, a sub-consultant to Ramboll, is responsible for designing "The Service Village" supporting the construction site.

The new North Zealand Hospital is planned for inauguration in 2025.