A hospital facility in Norrland, Sweden has been renovated extensively with sustainable timber construction panels, owing to the belief that natural materials help people heal better
Designed by White Arkitekter, Hjältarnas Hus (House of Heroes) features MEDITE TRICOYA EXTREME (MTX) sustainable timber construction panels along the outer walls. This is both organically manufactured using FSC certified timber and contains no added formaldehyde – vital when any wood product is specified for use in an especially sensitive application such as a hospital, school or care home.
MTX was chosen for the project due to its “outstanding qualities,” including its especially low formaldehyde emission classification of E1, and the fact that it is guaranteed to last 50 years in an external environment, even when in contact with moisture.
Research has shown that exposure to wood-based products and interiors can create similar health benefits to spending time in the natural world. These include physical and mental rejuvenation, emotional calm and quicker recovery from illness.
The versatility of MTX sustainable timber construction panels was harnessed to deliver stunning architectural design, with panels lining the outer walls milled into intricate patterns. This created a well-lit space, allowing residents to enjoy a light, bright and positive atmosphere inside.
As MTX is completely weatherproof to the core, elaborate machining to achieve complex patterns was no trouble, ensuring all effort and investment poured into the innovative design will last a lifetime.
Holly Waters-Marsh, head of marketing for MEDITE SMARTPLY, said: “This wonderful project demonstrates the full value of our product, and great understanding of timber as a building material.
“Not only will the product help to create a fantastic environment for the children to live in, but it will not degrade, meaning it will provide this environment for decades to come.”
MTX sustainable timber construction panels are fully FSC certified making them a natural choice for a building designed to meet the highest environmental standards. In using mainly timber for the project, Hjältarnas Hus and the Sweden Västerbotten Healthcare Council, who collaborated on the project, have eliminated approximately one tonne of carbon dioxide per one cubic metre of solid material from being released into the atmosphere, compared to using materials such as concrete or brick.
Featuring an indoor courtyard in the atrium, the recovery centre is surrounded by a park with a pond and playground. The atrium allows access to conference rooms and offices, while another new building houses small apartments and hotel-like suites with cooking facilities and activity rooms for families.
MTX is supplied in Sweden by CEOS. More information can be found here: https://bit.ly/2JOoZCk.
For more information on Hjältarnas Hus, please visit: http://hjaltarnashus.se/.
To see more by White Arkitekter, see: https://whitearkitekter.com/.
