GLAZING
The Kinderspital Zurich building.
so bad. Seeing patients in recovery often means enduring less than optimum ward and room conditions. The environment for healthcare workers is as important as that of the patients who are there for treatment. The industry must focus on both parts to create mutually beneficial spaces. Can healthcare learn from the modern
commercial real estate industry’s approach to optimal occupant comfort? Global real estate and investment management company Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) surveyed a pre and post- pandemic workforce regarding priorities around working conditions. A sample of 4,015 people were asked to rank six different topics. Before 2020, salary was considered the number one most important topic, while ‘working in a company that ensures my health and well-being’ ranked fifth. Health and wellbeing rose to second place in 2022, with ‘good quality of life/work-life balance’ taking the top spot (rising from number two pre-pandemic). Salary fell to third place in 2022. People’s mindset has shifted: health and quality of life are now considered most important in the working environment. A landmark office building in Brussels is placing human health at the heart of its mission.
Commercial building case study: The Precedent Solar shading glass façades are part of a pioneering building renovation project which intends to become a blueprint for high-end, sustainable commercial spaces with occupant health and wellbeing at the core of their offering. The office block, named The Precedent,
is located in central Brussels on the city’s prestigious Avenue Louise and situated at the intersection of three streets. A sustainable reshaping of the existing
IFHE DIGEST 2024 The Precedent in Brussels.
Eyrise skylight view at Kinderspital Zurich.
building is designed to meet the Gold level of the international WELL Building Standard certification, a performance- based system measuring features of the built environment that support and advance human health and wellbeing. The new external façades are cross-
laminated timber structures consisting of dynamic liquid crystal glazing. We have provided 1,160 m2
of s350
glass panels, allowing the maximum amount of daylight to enter the building while increasing connectivity with the tree-lined environment outside. Yugening Architecture is leading the
project, working alongside developer and building owner Union Investment. The founding partner of Yugening
Architecture, Véronique Orens, said this about the project: “The Precedent intends to set new wellbeing standards for modern office blocks. The smart glass is a cornerstone of this vision, providing innovative façade design to support a
healthy architectural approach. Formerly called Le Président, the building has been renamed in line with how we hope it will stand apart from conventional building projects.”
Putting people and the environment
first has underpinned every aspect of the renovation. Alongside other sustainable building techniques, the glass is contributing to the achievement of the overall WELL Building Standard score which will enable The Precedent to meet requirements of future discerning tenants.
Buildings are for humans Where conditions are designed to serve humans, there is no difference between office blocks and healthcare facilities. Making the best use of a hospital
building requires satisfying two key stakeholders, and when the interiors of healthcare facilities are similar to high end offices, there are economic constraints to be considered as the investment per square metre is high. To borrow an analogy from a colleague:
architects’ houses are a little like French shoes. They are very expensive and striking to look at, but you can’t walk. The fundamental questions around
staff productivity and getting people well and home sooner when building from the ground up or renovating an existing structure can be answered with innovative building skin design that supports a healthy architectural approach. Dynamic liquid crystal glazing windows
provide a connection to the outside, and protection from the outside. Paradox solved.
References 1
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/ science.6143402
2
https://cdn.sanity.io/files/gpiobcqx/ production/ 8d94175f8b80ef1093bc338b 63278a49e7b5ddb0.pdf
77 IFHE
©Kinderspital Zurich
©Yugening Architecture
©Kinderspital Zurich
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98
