The children and youth hospice, Strandbakkehuset, has been designed as the first newly built hospice of its kind in Denmark. It has been designed to provide space for life, play and alleviation, thereby offering a vital home for children, young people and their families in a vulnerable time of their lives.

Global Design & Architecture Design Awards 2021
Second Award | Category: Healthcare & Wellness (Built)

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Provides space for quality of life

Quality of life is a keyword in the design of Strandbakkehuset, which contains four family residences, a staff section and several shared functions. Its purpose as a hospice is to embrace life for children and young people in a vulnerable situation. Life, play and alleviation are accordingly essential values for the hospice, and it is with these values as their premise that the architectural team has not only studied the construction program but also carried out thorough research and anthropological field studies. The result is five focus points for the design of the hospice, ensuring that it offers a meaningful everyday life for children and young people, their families and the staff.

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Offers new experiences

Strandbakkehuset builds upon Hospice Djursland’s special qualities, where its beautiful location at the top of the slope provides space for contemplation and reflection. It is a place that incorporates the view and the long perspective into its design. However, Strandbakkehuset will not settle for simply building on the existing hospice’s qualities. It also offers new experiences for the benefit of the hospice’s residents: Children, youths and their families. At Strandbakkehuset, the focus will not be on the long perspective, but rather on life up close, experiences for the senses and the idea of living in the here and now.

The staff section and family residences

The staff section has been located as a natural part of the building’s main entrance. It is a strategic placement that makes it easy to keep track of who has entered and left the building while also ensuring optimal proximity and access to all the functions of the building. The family residences are built in a staggered formation over the slope in two storeys, bringing them up close to the forest line and offering beautiful panoramic views of the scenic surroundings of the hospice. In addition, all the family residences are equivalent in terms of the view and distance to the staff section.

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Shared functions

The shared functions are located between the staff section and family residences and divided according to the level of activity. Thus, the common room lies in natural extension of the family residences with a view of the sunny southern side, while the treatment ward lies close to the residences as well as the staff section. The wellness room is located at the ground level next to the lake, and the sensory room and breathing room are located higher up with great views and lots of sunlight. Last, but not least, the activity room is located in close proximity to the playground, and the guest rooms in close proximity to the family residences.