Children’s Hospice in Brno Offers Tranquil, Nature-Connected Design

Czech studio Ctyrsten designed the Children’s Hospice House for Julia in Brno, Czech Republic, to evoke “inner peace, acceptance, humility and harmony” and create an “atmosphere of harmony and peace”.

The hospice for children with terminal illnesses was placed in a natural amphitheatre of the original park and oriented towards a protected inner courtyard with preserved mature trees.

All the children’s rooms and communal spaces were oriented towards the atrium, described as the hospice’s “beating heart”, with views of a small pond.

Ctyrsten also designed a viewing walkway on the roof leading to a meditation spot at the top of the hill.

“The circular layout of the hospice with terraces and views of the greenery offers clients privacy, contact with nature, regardless of the physical condition, weather or need for continuous care,” the studio said.

“The circular layout of flowing corridors with living niches and views is one of the most important elements. A modern sanctuary, hidden from the surrounding public park.”

On the main floor, a large communal and dining space opened up to terraces on both sides to be used as a gathering space for visitors, social activities and communal meals.

Behind the central kitchen block, there was a more private space for clients and families with lounge seating and a fireplace.

Planned around a smaller courtyard, spaces for daily activities featured therapy spaces as well as a swimming pool and a small cinema.

A circular corridor around the central courtyard with large windows offers views of the trees and sky and reflections of light from the pond’s surface for the lying patients to enjoy.

There are 10 bedrooms for children with private terraces, a nurses’ station, and a separate last farewell apartment with a memorial atrium, which Ctyrsten described as an “unusual” space that allows loved ones to say farewell “without any interference”.

Parents’ rooms were set on the upper floor, with a common room for informal meetings with other families.

“The parents’ floor and its terraces [are] designed completely separately – both conceptually and in detail,” Ctyrsten said.

“This floor offers parents private rooms with views and terraces into the surrounding park, relaxation and privacy, knowing that the child is well taken care of by the staff,” it added.

By using the surrounding terrain, there was direct access to the walkway and a large roof terrace from the parents’ floor.

The administrative area was found downstairs and has its own entrance and service access, with offices, meeting rooms, technical facilities, and storage rooms.

Because it was largely embedded into the terrain, Ctyrsten used monolithic reinforced concrete as the main construction material.

Its aesthetics were reflected both inside and on the building’s facade, where concrete–grey polished plaster is offset by larch wood panelling and large-format glazing in wooden frames.

The prominent overhangs of the monolithic ceilings cover the terraces, creating shelter at each entrance and serve as passive shading to prevent overheating of the interior.

Heating and cooling were managed through a conduit system embedded in the concrete and fibre-cement ceilings.

It is supplied by three air-to-water heat pumps hidden in the facade niches of the underground floor. The green roofs prevent overheating of the interior, accumulate rainwater, and slow its runoff.

This system also helps the building blend in with the surrounding terrain, and excess rainwater is collected in a large underground tank, which supplies the garden pond and irrigates the trees and lawn in the courtyard.

Children’s hospice houses and memorial spaces often feature contemplative designs to help bereaved users and guests.