A Healing Space Woven with Light and Wood
Located in Copenhagem, the Centre for Health presents a new type of healthcare architecture that supports the rehabilitation and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases. Natural daylight, timber as the primary material, greenery, and a spatial organization that encourages movement and interaction move away from conventional function-driven medical environments, creating a more welcoming and inclusive setting for healing. Based on the premise that architecture influences human behavior, emotion, and physical health, the building incorporates users’ everyday activities into its spatial framework. Lush planting, open circulation, and diverse meeting spaces promote physical activity while fostering social relationships, transforming treatment into a more active and sustainable process. The design process was carried out through close collaboration with users and operators, ensuring that decisions on function, space, and materials align with actual needs.
At the center is a 15-meter-high atrium formed by a timber arch structure. Named the “Heart Room,” this space is directly connected to the building’s circulation and serves as the central node that organizes relationships between programs. Classrooms, exercise spaces, consultation rooms, open meeting areas, and a kitchen for cooking workshops are arranged around it, encouraging natural interaction and chance encounters among users. A large timber staircase that also functions as seating extends beyond vertical circulation to support staying and communication as a shared public space.
The interior forms a warm and stable atmosphere through exposed timber finishes. Some timber panels provide acoustic control while emphasizing the material’s tactile and environmental qualities. Daylight entering through large windows and roof openings changes over time, continuously altering the spatial character and providing a sustained sensory experience. The exterior is clad in dark brown metal panels that act as a protective layer while connecting the roof and façade into a continuous surface. Photovoltaic panels integrated into the roof produce energy, and the exposed timber structure forms deep louvers that regulate solar gain. On the garden side, a fully glazed façade opens the interior to the surrounding greenery, visually connecting inside and outside while maximizing natural daylight.
The project does not limit treatment to specific spaces but redefines it as a process extending into everyday life. It goes beyond being a place for treatment, functioning instead as an environment where healthy lifestyles can be learned and practiced. It encourages users to actively manage their own bodies and daily lives, with movement, interaction, and learning naturally integrated into the spatial structure.
Project: Center for Health / Location: Hans Kirks Vej 8, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark / Architect: Dorte Mandrup / Landscape architect: Bisgaard Landscape / Client: City of Copenhagen / Use: education, workspace / Site area: 3,540m² / Gross floor area: 3,300m² / Design: 2020-2024 / Completion: 2025 / Photograph: ©Adam Mørk (courtesy of the architect) / Drawing: ©Dorte Mandrup
