Rhéna Clinic, Strasbourg

The Rhéna clinic is a result of the geographical clustering of three private non-profit health institutions on a single site in Strasbourg: the new Deux Rives neighbourhood. The three establishments are: Adassa (Jewish clinic), Diaconat (Protestant clinic) and Sainte-Odile (Catholic clinic), making the Rhéna clinic the first and only multiconfessional clinic in France. It has been built on a 5 hectare plot directly facing the Europe Bridge that ties France and Germany together. The architectural concept tackles a twofold urban issue: openness towards the historical town centre of Strasbourg, and the creation of a landmark that connects the new neighbourhood to the adjacent city of Kehl, Germany. These issues are compounded by a strong concern pertaining to use: the goal is to create a warm space, peaceful and human, adapted to new types of ambulant healthcare, but also to the convergence of flows, modularity and scalability. The design brief imagined a “marvellous object” on the plot of the Rhéna Clinic. AIA architects’ work offers a “beacon” soaring to 35 metres on a corner of the plot. This vertical landmark (8 stories) unfolds in a 170 metre long horizontal ribbon (a 2 story plinth) that stretches towards the city. The complex forms a unitary sculptural volume, interspersed with folds and slanted planes. A thinly perforated bronze lacquered steel cladding as well as offset windows complement the building. The structure expands towards the city and opens onto a vast public square through a glass façade. The square then transforms into a pedestrian mall that leads to the centre of a plot, which hosts a healthcare centre connected to the Rhéna Clinic via a footbridge. The public space extends into a bright 170 metre long inner street. A reception area, a cafeteria, a patio and a multiconfessional prayer room are found along the artery, as well as a “short-track” ambulant department, which offers an innovative healthcare approach. In order to meet the imperative clinical needs, spaces were optimised to shorten distances and avoid flow intersections. The garden located on the plinth and the ubiquitous natural light along the route – dotted with 7 patios and 8 artworks from known or emergent artists – humanise the all too often bleak hospital environment. The project is designed to be a modular facility, bound to evolve in years to come, depending on the mutations of modern healthcare.