New Danish hospitals: vision and inspiration

The Danes will complete two sensational and interesting hospitals during 2027: Mary Elizabeth's Hospital and The New Hospital North Zealand in Hillerød, both in the Capital Health Region of Denmark. Like a roller coaster with an undulating red façade in bent aluminium plates, Mary Elizabeth's Hospital sticks out among the angular and grey buildings of Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. Meanwhile, out in a field a few km further north, a large four-leaf clover — The New Hospital North Zealand — has landed like a spaceship from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.

More than 10 years ago, the management of the Capital Health Region of Denmark was able to conclude that the professionalism, research, and treatment at Rigshospitalet's Centre for Children, Adolescents and Pregnant Women were world-class. But the physical framework was the opposite. Ten clinics, four centres, ten interdisciplinary units, and five knowledge centres were spread over nine different buildings. Patients and staff tried to create logical patient pathways and safety in run-down environments — hopelessly inefficient in terms of technology and logistics.

Mary Elizabeth's Hospital is the result of a partnership between the Capital Health Region of Denmark, Rigshospitalet and the Ole Kirk's Foundation, with a total budget of DKK 4.5bn (€0.6bn), of which the Ole Kirk Foundation is donating close to DKK 1bn. Of the donation, DKK 85m is earmarked to improve the hospital experience.