Hospice Søndergård in Denmark flaunts ‘the good hospice’ principles

Hospice Søndergård is the third Danish hospice designed according to ‘the good hospice’ by Realdania, a Danish philanthropic enterprise. The project is based on the principles of design for the model programme ‘The Program for the Good Hospice in Denmark’, where the palliative treatment is an integrated part of the design of the building from the beginning.

The hospice, which has clear and simple layout based on the overall functions of the building, comprises 14 individual living rooms. All the rooms face the lake and are sound-proofed to keep out all traffic noise. All rooms are decorated with wood as the main material, which helps in flooding the space with warm and cosy light.

Henning Larsen Architect has conceived the building spanning 1740 square metres as a modern interpretation of a traditional farm. The wings of the farm have been twisted, creating a number of recesses for private terraces, living rooms and a conference room with two inner atriums. On the inside, the wings form two luxuriant, timbered courtyards and a varied green path connecting the building to the park and lake. The new hospice is a building with a rugged exterior and a mild interior.

The layout of Hospice Søndergård is broken down into principal functions. Common living areas and staff facilities are located near the entrance in an attempt to ensure that all dwellings achieve maximum privacy. Focus has been on creating a safe and homely atmosphere and all residents have the opportunity to put their personal mark on their 36 furnished square metres.

Hospice Søndergård has received grants from the foundations Realdania and OK Fonden. In addition, the foundation, Tryg Fonden, has supported the project. With the ‘The Good Hospice campaign Realdania wishes to show how architecture and physical conditions can interact with the hospice functionality and support human care in a difficult time.

Hospice Søndergård is owned and operated by OK-fund, a non-profit organization with activities in nursing homes, psychiatric done deal, senior housing and hospice.