Surrounded by nature. Award-winning children's hospice project

Dobrawa Bies

31 of July '23

Tree Hosues project on the lake

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w skrócie
Anna Stawiska of the Faculty of Architecture at Wroclaw University of Technology designed the children's hospice, Tree Houses, and received an honorable mention in the Buildner platform competition. The project was proposed in a quiet area surrounded by trees and a lake to provide a welcoming and soothing environment for children. The facility houses a variety of functions, such as a common area, game rooms, library, chapel, kitchen and dining room, private space for medical staff, and therapy rooms. The hospice is divided into modules connected by a corridor that takes on an organic shape and overlooks an outdoor courtyard. For more interesting information, visit the home page of the A&B portal

w skrócie

Anna Stawiska of the Faculty of Architecture at Wroclaw University of Technology designed the children's hospice, Tree Houses, and received an honorable mention in the Buildner platform competition.
The project was proposed in a quiet area surrounded by trees and a lake to provide a welcoming and soothing environment for children.
The facility houses a variety of functions, such as a common area, game rooms, library, chapel, kitchen and dining room, private space for medical staff, and therapy rooms.
The hospice is divided into modules connected by a corridor that takes on an organic shape and overlooks an outdoor courtyard.
For more interesting information, visit the home page of the A&B portal

From the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław University of Technology, inspired by the archetype of home, {tag:studenci} designed a complex of buildings serving as a children's hospice. Her Tree Houses project received an honorable mention in the international competition Children's Hospice—Home for the Terminally ill Buildner platform.

The challenge of the competition was to present a concept for a children's hospice. The organizers were looking for examples, architecture that is a tool to help people and bring solace. The most important functions that were to be included in the hospice were a common area, a meeting room, a room for games, a small library, a chapel, a kitchen and a dining room, as well as a private space that could function as a nurse's room and a therapy room for psychological support. However, the organizers did not specify a location—participants were asked to choose a site for the project from their country of origin.

entrance area to the hospice

honorable mention for projects from PWr

The submitted works were evaluated by an international jury consisting of: Alan Dunlop (Alan Dunlop Architects), Arturo Mc Clean (Miralles Tagliabue EMBT), Dr. Nirit Pilosof (Sheba Medical Center, Coller School of Management at the University ofTel Aviv), Rion Philbin (No So Studio), Susanne Siepl-Coates, Sonsoles Vela Navarro (studioVRA), Steven Wright (Perkins Eastman), Dr. Johan van der Zwart (Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU), which awarded five prizes and six honorable mentions and announced the shortlist. Among the honorable mentions were two from the Faculty of Architecture at Wroclaw University of Technology—Tree Hosues by Anna Stawiska and Under the Cap by Nina Miloslawska (which you will read about in a separate article).

inner courtyard

Cottages among the trees

Anna Stawiska chose a quiet area surrounded by numerous trees and a lake for the foundation site.

I designed the body of the building to be friendly primarily to children, who are the main recipients of the facility. I used the modules of a traditional building block reminiscent of a house. Due to the fact that the premise consists of individual modules of a traditional house, and the whole premise is set among trees, it can be associated with playing in a tree house," explains the author.

The hospice is divided into modules

division into modules

The functional layout of the hospice is simple and clear—each zone is located in a separate module, and the whole is connected by a corridor from which one can access each part of the facility. The student equipped the building with a variety of spaces for the development of small patients. The entrance area of the building consists of a reception area and a seating area that flows seamlessly into a playroom.

In the next module is a multifunctional area for creative workshops, separated by sliding doors from a kitchen with a dining area created for the facility's users. This part has direct access to a greenhouse where hospice residents grow vegetables and fruits. As the author adds, contact with nature and the opportunity to nurture plants have a positive effect on therapy. The greenhouse zone transitions into a communicative one, becoming an integral part of the building.

The inner garden and greenhouse

The next module is equipped with a library along with a reading room. Here there are also two rooms for music and sensory therapies. In addition, the facility offers a swimming pool with all locker room and technical facilities.

visualization of the interior of the chapel

Another module is occupied by a chapel for contemplation, which offers a soothing view of the lake. The last module is dedicated to therapy—private conversation with a psychologist. Here we also have a meeting room.

All modules are connected by an organically shaped hall open to an outdoor courtyard equipped with a variety of places for play and development. The interior space intermingles with the exterior thanks to a system of sliding windows.