Knowledge Centre, St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, Norway

Article source: Nordic – Office of Architecture

The Knowledge Centre at St. Olav’s Hospital in Trondheim completes the overall scheme for the hospital grounds that has been on-going since the design competition in 1995, and is centrally located in the heart of the development. Designed with a strong emphasis on functionality and usability, the Knowledge Centre will provide facilities for both St. Olav’s Hospital and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Image Courtesy © Espen Gr¢nli, Passive facade with integrated artwork

• Architects: Nordic – Office of Architecture in collaboration with Ratio Arkitekter AS
• Project: Knowledge Centre, St. Olavs Hospital
• Location: Trondheim, Norway
• Photography: Jiri Havran, Espen Gr¢nli, Nordic

Image Courtesy © Nordic, Corner view

The building services include outpatient treatment rooms, laboratories, offices, isolated bedposts, ward, library, study rooms, auditoriums, canteen and restaurant.  The main building structure is wrapped around the primary place of sharing knowledge; the egg-shaped auditorium.

Image Courtesy © Espen Gr¢nli, Facade detail

The facades are held together by a ‘skeleton’ with a dynamic structure that allows for flexible placement of windows fit to cater for the diverse functions inside the centre. Incorporated in the frontage is a unique and completely integrated artwork, refining the elements already present in the passive facade.

Image Courtesy © Nordic, Internal structure

As the first hospital building in Northern Europe, The Knowledge Centre is built to passive house standards. On average energy consumption will be reduced by 75% compared to existing health buildings.  The Knowledge Centre is a pioneering project with respect to developing processes and interaction between those involved, through active use of a BIM model from sketch level to construction.

Image Courtesy © Nordic, Natural light from ceiling windows

The project has been organized using the latest LEAN principles (maximizing customer value while minimizing waste), which increases efficiency significantly with considerable cost benefit for the client.

Image Courtesy © Espen Gr¢nli, Patient treatment room interior

Image Courtesy © Jiri Havran, Autitorium with timber gridshell ceiling

Image Courtesy © Nordic, Hospital cafeteria

Image Courtesy © Espen Gr¢nli, Central staircase

Image Courtesy © Nordic, Staircase

Image Courtesy © Nordic, Green roof terrace

Image Courtesy © St. Olavs Hospital, Hospital development aerial

Image Courtesy © Nordic, St. Olavs Hospital development area

Image Courtesy © Nordic

Image Courtesy © Nordic

Image Courtesy © Nordic

Image Courtesy © Nordic, Cross section

Image Courtesy © Nordic

Image Courtesy © Nordic

Tags: Norway, Trondheim

Category: Hospital

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