The starting point for the internal circulation of patients and visitors is the light-filled entrance hall with a central information point, which is accessed from the forecourt. A wide staircase and various lifts connect the entrance level with the parking level and the visitor corridor. Both clinical centers are linked to the entrance hall on all podium levels. Clear and intuitive wayfinding is a central aspect of the design. Spatial structures are intended to be easily understandable and legible. Accordingly, the internal circulation is organized along two main axes: one following the public corridor, while an internal corridor is dedicated to patient transport. This separation effectively disentangles the different flows of movement.
The public corridor and the nursing stations are oriented toward the communal park. Along the corridor, a varied circulation space is created, providing clear and legible access to the individual departments and vertical connections. Atriums, open-air spaces, and galleries break up the structure, allow visual connections, and facilitate orientation. The patient rooms face the exterior façade, offering views of the city and the Vienna Woods.
The urban design concept aims to organize the transition from the consolidated city to the smaller-scale development in the west, to create a clear address, and to make the site legible and experiential. Accordingly, the podium of the central clinic follows the orientation and eave height of the historic Gründerzeit perimeter blocks. Resting on this podium are two three-story paired building volumes, arranged to maintain a respectful distance from the existing structures.
A modern hospital campus is defined not only by its buildings but also by attractive outdoor spaces. The two (urban-)landscape reference systems – the densely built city to the east and the heavily vegetated Wilhelminenberg to the west – shape the concept of the new central clinic’s open spaces. A strong focus is placed on preserving existing groups of trees. These, together with new plantings and adaptive pathways, form a mosaic of green areas and volumes, expanding the existing forest into a cohesive spatial structure. A variety of spatial experiences are created, allowing for diverse programming: walking paths, retreat areas, sunny and shaded zones, outdoor dining areas, play spaces, sports and exercise areas, therapy gardens, and more. The green podium roofs complement this spatial program within a protected area reserved for the respective wards and increase ecological surfaces. In doing so, they enhance climate resilience by retaining water and reducing summer heat accumulation.
