165 REHAB

Clinic for Neurorehabilitation and Paraplegiology

Contept + Program
165 REHAB Center was conceived as the opposite of a hospital. Instead of repetitive rooms and corridors, it takes the form of a horizontal, two-story structure planned akin to a small town, complete with courtyards, plazas, gardens, and paths between spaces. Patients, often staying for over a year, live, work with therapists, and welcome family here, all when they’re at their most vulnerable, making the center a living environment rather than an institution. It is one that offers varied spaces designed to promote dignity and give patients the autonomy a traditional facility deprives them of, fostering a sense of community and belonging that supports both recovery and daily life.Organization + Materials
The layout, prioritizing the interior-exterior relationship, is organized around a series of courtyards, each distinct: one lined in timber, another filled with water, and another housing the bathhouse. These courtyards provide daylight, orientation, and a rhythm of movement throughout the building. Therapy and treatment spaces occupy the ground floor, while patient rooms above open onto wide verandas, allowing even bedridden patients to be wheeled outdoors. Windows and cooridors intentionally stage views to the surrounding landscape and creates spaces for exploration and routine. Wood is the dominant material, used on the façades, terraces, and lattice structures that guide shades and provide privacy. Details like the Plexiglas dowels reflect light, and the large skylight spheres over patient beds provide a sense of brightness and openness.
Transformation + Expansion
In 2018, the center expanded with a new Specialized Acute Psychiatry (SAP) ward for behavioral therapy, designed as a lightweight timber rooftop expansion for the day clinic. Four spaces used by patients during their therapy breaks are positioned next to one another: a dining area, a living room, and two recovery rooms, alongside a central spine of servicing functions such as changing rooms and offices. A covered veranda with a view over a planted roof extends the interior. The addition fits seamlessly within the original design, demonstrating the architectural flexibility of evolving for patient needs while preserving the center’s calm and healing environment.