Steno Diabetes hospital

USING WOOD TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE

Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects has designed a new building for Herlev Hospital in Denmark. Steno Diabetes Centre Copenhagen is home to a dedicated health centre where treatment, prevention, and research come together to provide a specialist centre for diabetes patients and their families.

The design creates a space which puts people at the heart of the building, a considerate architecture that highlights quality of life, self-care, and community. An overwhelming use of Scandinavian materials, particularly wood, bring a natural warmth to the building to foster a safe and homely atmosphere. As part of the nature-focused interior, Junckers solid Oak Boulevard with a white-pigmented Nordic finish forms a beau-tiful as well as hard-wearing backdrop to the communal activity area, offset by the slatted timber ceiling. 

Junckers’ Nordic Oak Boulevard, a solid hardwood plank floor with generous dimensions gives an architectural, linear impression which really comes into its own in a large open space. The pale colour of the Nordic finish reflects an abundance of natural light, minimising the reliance on artificial lighting. Made from nothing but solid oak timber, a Junckers floor promotes a healthy indoor climate by helping to maintain an even temperature in a room, reducing static from electrical appliances and keeping dust and mites away thanks to its smooth surface. Having undergone stringent testing, Junckers flooring carries the Danish Indoor Climate with the requisite low VOC and formaldehyde levels.

To one side, the building is largely open with double-height spaces and a glass façade, whereas the other side of the building has a more sheltered character, dedicated to treatment and consultation. A series of courtyards planted with lush greenery bring the outside landscape into the space, the ever-changing seasonal vista becoming part of the interior. The connection with nature works to stimulate as well as nurture patients, staff, and visitors, an integral part of the building’s holistic wellbeing theme.