From healing space to living space; Transforming the Ortopediska Kliniken

Abstract

In 2022 the municipality of Gothenburg approved a plan to develop the current Sahlgrenska University Hospital area in Gothenburg. While the project will provide additional space for important healthcare facilities, it also involves the demolition of several historic buildings, including Ortopediska Kliniken. Built in 1926, the structure represents a historical element and is a distinctive landmark of the area. This thesis explores the possibility of pre serving the Ortopediska Kliniken through transformation as an alternative to demolition. The aim is to create a space that responds to the needs of the people of the surrounding area. Through site analysis and research, three potential user groups were identified: students from Gothenburg University, the families of patients at the hospital, and healthcare workers. In the process was included site visits, investigation of spatial connections as well as study of the history of the building. In addition, academic literature and articles were examined to better understand the needs of the three user groups. The research has highlighted that a common factor between the groups is the lack of residential facilities close to the area. There is a shortage of student housing in Gothenburg, insufficient temporary accomodations for patients’ families and lack of resting places for healthcare workers du ring extended shifts. Based on these findings, the thesis pro poses the transformation of the Ortopediska Kliniken into a mixed housing facility that will accomodate three different user groups. The project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can preserve a historically important building, contributing to heritage conservation and sustainability, while, at the same time, addressing contemporary social and urban needs.