Exhibition
HEARTSPACE: DESIGNING A HEALING HOSPITAL
How does hospital design impact patient well-being and experience? Get a unique insight into the future of healthcare with the exhibition 'Heartspace: Designing a Healing Hospital' at Designmuseum Danmark. Explore the visionary ideas behind Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital – Rigshospitalet for Children, Teens and Expecting Families set to open as part of Rigshospitalet in 2027, while delving into the history of groundbreaking hospital design where the patient’s needs have always been at the heart.
Set to open in 2027, Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital will serve as a centralised specialist care facility for children, teens, and expecting families across Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. The hospital embraces a revolutionary care model where specialists attend to patients in their rooms, eliminating the need for travel between departments. Through thoughtful integration of play spaces, comfort-focused design, and cutting-edge digital technology, the facility reimagines the treatment experience. The exhibition at Designmuseum Danmark offers an insight into the remarkable partnership behind the hospital between Ole Kirk’s Fond, Region Hovedstaden, and Rigshospitalet. Come and experience how the hospital is setting new standards for the treatment of sick children – with life and play at the centre. The architecture of the new hospital is designed by 3XN in collaboration with Arkitema and NIRAS.
In November 2024, Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital received a Design Award for its exceptional design concept for the hospital experience.
Historic Foundations of Healthcare Design
The exhibition journey begins in the magnificent Rococo building that houses Designmuseum Danmark – once home to Denmark’s first public hospital for the poor. The Royal Frederik’s Hospital was built between 1752 and 1757 in the newly established Frederiksstad by the two architects Nicolai Eigtved and Laurids de Thurah. They created a modern, systematic, and functional hospital layout for its time, based on the dimensions of the sickbed. The design ensured unobstructed access to each bed, regular sunlight, and care. The focus was on light and fresh air for healing, which was revolutionary at the time. The Royal Frederik’s Hospital remained in Bredgade until 1910, after which it moved to Blegdammen and became Rigshospitalet. The exhibition features historical artefacts from the old hospital and tells the story of its exceptional and innovative architecture, which formed the framework for the cradle of the welfare state.
The exhibition is made possible with support from the Børneriget Foundation and developed in collaboration with the partnership behind Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital.