Finalist Proposal 'Aurora' for Odense University Hospital

Danish Henning Larsen Architects have shared with us their finalist competition entry for the new University Hospital & Faculty of Health Sciences in Odense, Denmark. As part of a team consisting of Friis & Moltke, TKT, Cowi, Rambøll Danmark, SLA Landscape and NNE Pharmaplan, Henning Larsen Architects named their proposal 'Aurora' – as a symbol of renewed hope and a new beginning. Aurora was one of three finalist proposals; the competing consortium Medic OUH won the competition. The first phase of the hospital is expected to be complete in 2018.

Project Description from the Architects:

The new Odense University Hospital (OUH) embodies an innovative building of high architectural quality, designed to meet the requirements and challenges of tomorrow. Like the goddess Aurora, the hospital finds renewal in the transition between old and new – and the conversion from tradition to modernity. The building honours the connection between the new OUH and the existing Faculty of Health Sciences (SUND) and emphasises a research-practice partnership, transmitting information between hospital practice and external community. The “Large House” is a continuous and compact building stock with short logistic and technical distances. The “City Quarters” consist of distinctive building units and intimate outdoor spaces. Diagnostic and treatment functions are located in the lower, continuous floors constituting the Large House, while wards and outpatient clinics are located in the upper, detached building volumes constituting the City Quarters.

The individual is the priority within the circular city structure, reflected in its intimate architecture, personalized routines, state-of-the-art treatment processes, innovative work procedures, and progressive research environments. The ground plan of Aurora meets the requirements for a highly efficient and flexible hospital facility while simultaneously providing all employees, patients, and visitors with high-quality care. Aurora offers an organic, accessible and highly legible building in integration with a cost-effective solution to contemporary healthcare.

The new OUH is built around a clear infrastructure and rational logistics. The building design is based on simple, cost-effective principles and connects the hospital and Odense University by means of international, world-class architecture. Its design makes it a landmark highly visible to its users and stakeholders - at regional, national and international perspectives. As a new landmark for the healthcare sector of the future, the new OUH would inspire pride and innovation across the southern Danish region as well as abroad.

Project Details:

Consortium: Henning Larsen Architects, Friis & Moltke, TKT, Cowi and Rambøll Denmark
Sub consultants: Landscape architects SLA and NNE Pharmaplan
Client: The Region of Southern Denmark and the Danish University and Property Agency
Gross area: 234,000 m2
Location: Odense, Denmark
Type of assignment: Finalist in invited competition