{"id":17291,"date":"2021-08-15T16:36:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-15T13:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/?post_type=showroom_cpt&p=17291"},"modified":"2025-10-02T13:35:51","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T10:35:51","slug":"kymenlaakso-central-hospital","status":"publish","type":"showroom_cpt","link":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/projects\/kymenlaakso-central-hospital\/","title":{"rendered":"Kymenlaakso Central Hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kymenlaakso Central Hospital<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\tProject<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t

Kymenlaakso Central Hospital (Kotka)<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tClient<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t

Carea-Sairaalat Oy (sections G and Af) and Kymsote Kiinteist\u00f6t Oy (sections Fa, Fb and A)<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tProject developer<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t

Sweco Architects Oy<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tCommission<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t

principal and architectural design<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tSchedule<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t

2014\u2013<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tGross area<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t

over 75,000 m\u00b2<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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Architecture brings safety and warmth to the Kymenlaakso Central Hospital <\/span><\/h1>\n

Sweco\u2019s architects have been renewing the Kymenlaakso Central Hospital in Kotka since 2014. The ever-changing facility and service requirements are met in cooperation with users. The key objective is to promote the rapid healing of patients and the well-being of staff.<\/p>\n

Kymsote offers social and health care services for around 163,000 people in Kymenlaakso. Sweco\u2019s architects have been involved in renewing the Kymenlaakso Central Hospital in Kotka since 2014. Most of the original buildings date back to the 1960s.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany buildings are reaching the end of their technical and functional life,\u201d explains Kymsote-Kiinteist\u00f6t Oy\u2019s Project Designer Taru Saarelainen<\/strong>. New technology requires more space, and one-person patient rooms are now considered the norm. \u201cWe want to offer patients a smooth and safe high-quality care environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The challenging project has required meticulous work, and the architectural design has been adapted according to the ever-changing functional needs of the hospital. \u201cHospital projects always have a tight budget, meaning that the facilities must be designed in utmost detail,\u201d describes Architect Mikko Vuorenhela<\/strong> from Sweco. \u201cEven so, the design cannot neglect humanity either.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2014, Sweco\u2019s architects drew up a project plan for the entire hospital area. Implementation planning started with the so-called \u2018hot hospital\u2019 that includes the emergency room, intensive care unit and operating facilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal was to bring the hot functions close to each other and ensure that modern hospital technology fits in the facilities created at different times,\u201d Vuorenhela says. The design and construction of the hospital area will progress in stages, and the building containing the in-patient ward and logistics and laboratory facilities will be completed in winter 2023. The renewal of the old main hospital is the final part of the project. \u201cThe smooth operation of the hospital is ensured at all stages.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facility users have a say in the functionality planning<\/h3>\n

Hospital design requires continuous dialogue with users, since functional needs can change even during the project. According to Taru Saarelainen, Sweco\u2019s architectural designers have listened to the users carefully. \u201cThe competence and opinions of different professional groups have been valued, and the plans have been adapted together according to the wishes of end users.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also finds it important that the architects are able to question solutions and challenge the views of users. \u201cThis results in solutions that are functionally satisfactory, but keep the costs in check.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among other things, user opinions have had an impact on centralised equipment maintenance, the location of support services and the care process of critically ill patients. \u201cThe prevention of infection and respecting patient privacy are also particularly important. We have also been able to strengthen the cooperation between multi-professional teams,\u201d Saarelainen says.<\/p>\n

Hospital environment has a proven effect on healing<\/h3>\n

The architectural design of Kymenlaakso Central Hospital has followed the principles of a healing environment. They have influenced e.g. the material and colour choices and solutions regarding natural and artificial light. The new facilities are a far cry from the former institutional hospitals. \u201cThe same things can improve the well-being and comfort of both patients and employees,\u201d Vuorenhela states.<\/p>\n

Humanity can be created by using wooden surfaces and nature photography and by offering views outdoors. \u201cOther issues evident in the everyday lives of staff and patients include bringing daylight into the care and break rooms and managing noise,\u201d Saarelainen says. She also praises the calming overall appearance of the break rooms that provide a change from the care facilities. \u201cIt helps employees to break away from the work.\u201d<\/p>\n

New buildings incorporated into the urban landscape<\/h3>\n

The architects have acknowledged the fact that the hospital area has an impact on Kotka\u2019s urban landscape. \u201cSuch a significant construction must fit into its environment, while finding its own place,\u201d Vuorenhela says.<\/p>\n

The facade cladding of the new construction uses single tone ceramic tile. The tiles of different shapes create a multi-coloured impression. \u201cChanges in light bring the facades to life according to the weather and time of day.\u201d<\/p>\n

It also honours the existing building history that provides roots to new buildings. The ceramic facade cladding was inspired by the varied tones of the old hospital\u2019s brick walls. Copper cladding has been used in the new entrances just like in the old ones.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMany buildings are reaching the end of their technical and functional life. We want to offer patients a smooth and safe high-quality care environment.\u201d
\n\u2013 Taru Saarelainen, Kymsote-Kiinteist\u00f6t Oy<\/p>\n

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Sweco has also designed the renewal and extension of the radiotherapy unit. Half of the building is located below ground at the base of the tower, meaning that the roof acts as the most important facade of the building. \u201cThe new roof covers the complex in soft shapes like a carpet and also connects it to the nearby open rock surfaces,\u201d Vuorenhela states.<\/p>\n

She emphasises that the architecture of the central hospital renewal is intended to provide a sense of reliability and comfort to patients. \u201cIt is important to feel safe behind the hospital walls, while receiving the best possible care from top professionals.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n

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Sweco\u2019s architects have been renewing the Kymenlaakso Central Hospital in Kotka since 2014. The ever-changing facility and service requirements are met in cooperation with users. The key objective is to promote the rapid healing of patients and the well-being of staff.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":16353,"template":"","showroom_cats":[151,170,149,148],"showroom_expertise":[],"showroom_partners":[],"showroom_location":[],"showroom_client":[],"class_list":["post-17291","showroom_cpt","type-showroom_cpt","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","showroom_cats-urban-planning","showroom_cats-health-care-and-hospitals","showroom_cats-building-design","showroom_cats-architecture"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/showroom_cpt\/17291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/showroom_cpt"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/showroom_cpt"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"showroom_cats","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/showroom_cats?post=17291"},{"taxonomy":"showroom_expertise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/showroom_expertise?post=17291"},{"taxonomy":"showroom_partners","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/showroom_partners?post=17291"},{"taxonomy":"showroom_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/showroom_location?post=17291"},{"taxonomy":"showroom_client","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/showroom_client?post=17291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}