Campus
Virchow-Klinikum

Back in 1906, progress meant gardens in bloom. At least that’s what Ludwig Hoffmann, Berlin’s urban planning director at the time, had in mind for Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK). The 55 freestanding pavilion-style buildings dedicated to patient care were surrounded by idyllic greenery.

Mittelallee, the original main avenue lined with imposing trees, still serves as the site’s central backbone. The complex is named after the doctor and public-health politician Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902), upon whose initiative the clinic was established. Yet much of the historical concept has disappeared. That is now set to change: the ideas from the turn of the century will be transported into the future under the motto of ‘Say Hello to the Neighbourhood!’. The historical campus will open up to the city, with greenery extending up onto the roofs – and with plenty of space for medical excellence. And best of all, the new ‘healing city’ is located directly on the banks of the River Spree.

The Rudolf Virchow hospital that opened in 1906 was named after the Charité professor and public-health politician who dedicated his life to ensuring basic medical provision for broad sections of the population. Ludwig Hoffmann, Berlin’s urban planning director, oversaw the construction of a modern hospital in the style of a garden city in what was once a densely populated working-class residential area and industrial zone. Characterised by its sense of spaciousness and abundance of greenery, the entire complex took account of various environmental factors, measures for preventing infection and the general promotion of wellbeing. Today’s Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) continues to fulfil this function today, and Virchow’s spirit remains very much alive. The campus is still dominated by the imposing tree-lined avenue bordered by pavilion-style buildings where the sick were tended to in the past. The renovation plans that will transform Campus Virchow-Klinikum into a ‘healing city’ will also stay true to the guiding principles of this historical hospital site.

From garden city to healing city

The planning team Nickl & Partner, Machleidt Stadtplanung + Städtebau and sinai Gesellschaft von Landschaftsarchitekten have succeeded in creating a symbiosis of history and forward-looking reorientation. Despite the high structural density, the urban planning concept achieves a balance between buildings of moderate height in the centre and differentiated open spaces. Well-placed architectural accents emphasise the entrances and integrate the site into the city. The parts of the complex which are listed as historical monuments are handled respectfully.

The design is a convincingly holistic union of landscape, urban development and architecture. It values historical aspects while enhancing and combining them with contemporary landscaping. The concept for open spaces is clearly legible and aids orientation. Contradictory demands, such as the desire to open up the site to the urban landscape while also considering safety aspects, or the matter of distance and proximity of buildings, have been solved clearly and simply.

Flagship research and therapy projects

One flagship project at Campus Klinikum-Virchow is the newbuild for Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC) in the south-westerly section of the campus. The operating theatres, laboratories and hybrid spaces for procedures in this specialist clinic for cardiovascular diseases will set new medical and technological standards for Europe. Moreover, the newbuild consolidates the cardiology centre under the same roof as the main emergency department (ZNA) and the centralised sterile services unit.

Two blocks are currently under construction on the new biomedical campus site at the corner of Seestrasse and Amrumer Strasse: The Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT) is a cutting-edge research institution, while Der Simulierte Mensch (Si-M, standing for ‘simulated person’) is planned as a joint research project run by Charité and TU Berlin. Both research facilities will provide optimal conditions for researching and developing innovative biomedical technologies.

Yet another component of the Charité’s vision for the future will be the Nationale Centrum für Tumorerkrankungen (NCT), a tumour clinic which will focus on personalised medicine, prevention and new diagnostic methods.

The Pharmaceutical Centre that is also planned for the campus will meet the highest technical standards. High-tech pharmaceutical products such as radioactive medicines for treating cancer and drugs for stem cell therapy are to be produced here.

The new Childhood-Haus Berlin is to be run by the clinics for paediatric and adolescent medicine at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in conjunction with the World Childhood Foundation under the patronage of Queen Silvia of Sweden. The Childhood-Haus Berlin will form a key element in improving Berlin’s network of child protective services.