White Arkitekter unveils proposal for the new Ostalb Hospital in Essingen

The new hospital is conceived as an open and legible healthcare campus where buildings and landscape respond to the site’s natural topography. The development is organised around a two-storey podium containing the hospital’s core functions, from which three inpatient pavilions rise towards the landscape. This composition creates a clear architectural identity while giving the hospital a human scale and supporting patient wellbeing.

The proposal is guided by evidence-based design and the principles of healing architecture. Access to daylight, intuitive wayfinding and a strong connection to nature have informed every aspect of the design process.

A generous public square marks the hospital’s main entrance. From here, clear circulation routes provide intuitive navigation throughout the hospital. Green courtyards bring daylight deep into the interior while supporting orientation and creating restorative environments for patients, visitors and staff.

All patient rooms are oriented towards the surrounding landscape and benefit from generous daylight and views. Timber is used as the primary structural material for the inpatient pavilions, reducing the building’s carbon footprint while creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Landscape plays a central role in the proposal. The campus is shaped by the rolling topography of the Swabian Alps, creating a network of outdoor spaces that support recovery, recreation and social interaction. Public squares, patient gardens, landscaped courtyards and green roofs are connected through a series of pedestrian routes that link the campus to the surrounding landscape and regional cycle network.

In addition to the hospital, the wider campus includes housing, a nursery, and health and education facilities. Together, these functions create a vibrant and sustainable environment where healthcare, learning and everyday life come together.

Sustainability is embedded throughout the proposal. The energy concept is based on a fully decarbonised energy supply, combining geothermal energy, heat pumps, recovered waste heat and photovoltaic systems to minimise operational emissions and enable fossil-free operation.

Unfortunately, our proposal was not selected this time, but we are proud of our work and pleased to share it.