SILTASAIRAALA – Bridge Hospital

Inaugurated in January 2023, the Helsinki Trauma and Cancer Centre offers a new western façade to the Meilahti Campus. Located north of downtown Helsinki, it sits on the edge of Seurasaarenselkä Bay and faces the magnificent granite and seascape of the Gulf of Finland. Nicknamed Siltasairaala, this ’bridge hospital’ has created and continues to create a host of physical and symbolic links – between the city and the campus; services and their designated areas; care staff and patients; decision-makers, designers, builders and users; and between distinct architectural cultures, notably Finnish and French.

The publication, itself entitled Siltasairaala, tells the story of these connections, alliances and affinities from the planning and design of Helsinki’s new Trauma & Cancer Centre through to its completion. It describes the spaces embodying these connections as well as looking into the project’s operational and urban context. Il also tells the story of the collaborative design behind Siltasairaala and to a successful, decade-long adventure involving the members of Team Integrated: AW2 Architects, Brunet Saunier & Associés, B&M Architects and Harris Kjisik Architects.