Malmi Hospital extension from 2014 is fitted into the same plot as the 1930s hospital buildings, designed by Uusimaa region architect Armas Rankka. In its vicinity are a primary school and red brick Malmi church designed by Kristian Gullichsen.

Malmi Hospital is one of two hospitals in Helsinki with emergency health care services. The new part of the hospital is linked to the hospital buildings from the 1930s. In terms of the cityscape, the new part forms a uniform background to the old protected buildings. The red brick façade helps integrate the new building to the existing surroundings and also the scale – which comes smaller towards the park side – is set in relation to nearby low-rise apartment blocks.

In addition to the 24-hour emergency health care services, the hospital also has patient wards, a quarantine unit and laboratory, reception and medical imaging facilities. On the same floor as the emergency department are also the supervision and monitoring units. Maintenance facilities are located on the lowest floor. The basic design solution aims to make it as easy as possible for patients, senior citizens and visitors to move and orientate themselves in the hospital. The entrance foyer is situated in the middle of the complex that consists of buildings of different ages. Kristiina Uusitalo’s yellow mural in the foyer creates a memorable fixed point for the visitor.

On the two top floors, on each side of the lifts, are patient wards. Each ward has its own identifying colour, and the identity is further strongly emphasised by photographs (by Jouko Lehtola and Niko Luoma) placed on the end walls. The colour scheme is limited to the soft tones of the colour range of green-yellow-red.In the design of the floor plans of the patient wards, there was a wish to avoid the kind of convoluted corridor system that is easily created in hospital buildings. Each ward has its own central lobby, which is easy to perceive and monitor and which also functions as a waiting, dining and rehabilitation space. When open, the doors to the patient rooms lodge imperceptibly against the bathroom units, easing corridor traffic and in general also having a calming effect on the appearance of the wards. The majority of the patient rooms are for two persons. There are a total of approximately 120 patient places. The building module is 8100 mm and the floor-to-floor height 4,2–4,5 metres.

The design proceeded in close cooperation with experts from the City of Helsinki. Low-energy objectives have been applied in the new part of the building, and the insulation levels of the façades and windows have been increased.

Text: Finnish Architectural Review 5/2014