Health Quarter New-West in Amsterdam is an accessible city hospital with many different forms of care at one location. Innovation and new construction on the site of OLVG-West provides an answer to the rapidly growing demand for healthcare in the Amsterdam metropolitan area. An optimally functioning hospital environment with efficient spatial solutions, flexibility, also towards the future and a superb embedding in the city are leading for the Structural Design.
OLVG is the largest non-academic hospital in Amsterdam and wants to be there for all Amsterdammers. Accessible and in the middle of the city. At the moment, care is divided between two locations. Location East is already such a place. At the Oosterpark, the front door gives access to an inner street where all care functions are located. In the future, care will increasingly move to the West location. There is now a complex here that was built in the 1960s, as part of the amenity strip of the Western Garden Cities, parallel to the A10 ring road. The complex has been expanded and adapted in several steps. It still lies isolated, considerably raised from ground level, detached from its surroundings. Around the complex are areas where parking and logistics dominate.
Response to a growing demand for care
Innovation and new construction for various forms of care at the location of OLVG location West provides an answer to the rapidly growing demand for care in the Amsterdam metropolitan region. An optimally functioning care environment with efficient spatial solutions, flexibility, also for the future and a good embedding in the city are leading for the Urban Design.
The Reade rehabilitation centre will be added to the construction programme and an ambulance station will be integrated. The space requirement will increase from 70,000 to just under 150,000sqm GFA, which will be realized in 15 years through complete demolition and new construction.
The Reade rehabilitation centre will be added to the construction program and an ambulance station will be integrated. The space requirement will increase from 70,000 to a number close to 150,000m2 GFA, which will be realized in 15 years through complete demolition and new construction.
Health Quarter turns inside out
From an introverted complex turned away from the city, the planning turns the Care Quarter inside out into a highly urban ensemble of buildings. The high density requires meticulous planning in order to achieve both the implementation process and the ultimate intended spatial quality within small margins. By cleverly linking functions along a north-south oriented inner street, a framework for step-by-step development is created. Within the framework, program, volume and building height vary. Height differences put the Zorgkwartier in perspective and make it a layered small city.
Building urbanity
Compared to the recessed positioning of the original building volume, in line with the philosophy of the Western Garden Cities, Health Quarter New-West is making the move to the surrounding city streets. Building lines mark the transitions between buildings and the city. Large openings in the building mass create spatial transitions between the interior and the outside. On the west side of the plot along Jan Tooropstraat, the urban street will be enriched with a courtyard that will be activated with public plinths, a colonnade and a single-storey entrance. On the south side along Jan Evertsenstraat, the new building is aimed at the attractive, green and sunny banks of the canal. Here, Health Quarter New-West will have its second entrance and a terrace directly on the water.
Together with the light inner street, the recesses within the building mass and between the buildings provide space for green courtyards and inner gardens. Light, air and orientation contribute to the healing environment that Health Quarter New-West wants to be.
A central role for the Entrance Building
The various logistics flows are separated from each other, to provide a continuous pedestrian network. Key is this pedestrian domain is the reception of visitors is the Entrance Building. A parking facility for 1,000 cars with the reception level on the ground floor with drop-off, facilities and a green passage. On the roof there is a care garden at height that connects to the 0-level of Reade, designed for stay, relaxation and rehabilitation. Together with the green entrance squares, patios and courtyards, this roof park adds up to the 25% of the total plot that will be set up as public realm. Making space, leaving space at its best!
