Veterinary Clinic, CH-Bern
The basic idea is to attach the new building to the two existing buildings, thereby creating the “Small Animal Clinic” complex. Thanks to its central location, the new building forms the heart of the Small Animal Clinic. Atriums are inserted at the junctions of the two joined facades. As a result, the transition areas between the new and old sections do not become a problem but instead gain a sense of spatial quality. The atriums facilitate vertical connections and serve as orientation points.
The planned facade renovation of the existing buildings, which is to take place at a later date, will feature the same facade as the new building. This will give expression to the basic concept of a unified building envelope. The new, front-mounted facade also allows for the easy resolution of issues such as noise protection and connection details with the new building volume. Furthermore, the existing facade elements — including the existing windows, provided they are in good condition — can be retained. This results in a short renovation period, allowing operations to resume fully and quickly.
The direct connection of the new building to the existing small-animal facilities creates a new complex on the veterinary hospital grounds known as the “Small Animal Clinic.” This resolves the current orientation challenges and divides the veterinary hospital into clearly defined departments that are easy to navigate for both clients and staff. The new building’s layout, location, and size blend seamlessly into the orthogonal urban structure of the entire site. The new structure also serves as a redefined starting point for the urban space.