Description

The Ospedale dei Bambini “Giovanni di Cristina” in the centre of Palermo, near the church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti from the 12^th century and the Palazzo dei Normanni, looks back on a long history. A convent stood on this spot as far back as 1660 and cared for cholera sufferers, among others. In 1882, with the support of a civil committee, a children’s hospital was built here, which from 1914 on was run by the paediatrician Giovanni Di Cristina, after whom the house is now named.

The project creates a connecting building in a very small space. Edzard Schultz of Heinle Wischer und Partner took on the complex task in collaboration with Italian colleagues in a consortium, an RTP, or Ragruppamento temporaneo di professionisti. The Berlin office designed the new building, while an architect from Naples was responsible for the listed old buildings. A decision was made early on to leave the children’s hospital in the heart of the city despite the complex conditions of the urban environment and the historical building fabric due to its close proximity to the residential districts.

The project therefore had to be sensitive to the building’s historical significance, and also incorporate operating theatres and the associated technology into the 16th century hospital building. Some aspects had different requirements than in Germany: operating theatres in Italy always have a sterile corridor area, and intensive care wards have large shared patient rooms instead of individual rooms. Archaeological concerns ruled out the possibility of underground spaces, and the different floor levels required careful planning to ensure their interconnection. A further, particular requirement was the need to make the existing building earthquake resistant, and in general, the building needed refurbishments to meet current standards. The client also wanted the works to be undertaken in successive stages so that completed sections could be used prior to overall completion.

A new building with four entrances was inserted into the site connecting the different buildings on the clinic grounds. The Corpo di collegamento, as it is known, improves the functional interconnection of different wards with much shorter distances while providing a central means of access along with modern emergency and outpatient facilities. In addition, a day clinic was also incorporated.

The modern facade of the new building is made of high-quality materials and contrasts with its historic neighbouring buildings – a novelty in the centre of Palermo.

Originally published in Bauwelt 37.2015, pp. 24-25, abridged and edited for Building Types online, translated by Julian Reisenberger

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