ÖRK Stützpunkt Krankenhaus Hohenems by LandRise

Built in 2020 / 2025 Built Landscapes / 2025 Entries / 2025 Hospitality and Therapeutic / Austria /
landrise.at/de

The ÖRK-Base & Hospital Hohenems
Open Space Design at the ÖRK Base Hohenems and Remembrance of the Neudörfer House

As part of the construction of the new ÖRK base next to the Hohenems hospital, a spacious and high-quality outdoor area was created, benefiting both the hospital as well as the ÖRK. While the green rooftop garden with a wooden terrace and areas dedicated to biodiversity are primarily accessible to ÖRK staff, hospital patients and visitors are welcome to enjoy a redesigned green space that had previously been lacking on the site.

At the heart of this outdoor space is a rectangular gravel plaza framed by a group of Gleditsia trees (Gleditsia triacanthos ‘Skyline’), complemented by a water basin and seating areas in light shade. On either side of the plaza stretch herb-rich meadows. The western area toward the existing hospital building remains open, while the section in the east is structured with topiary shrubs and multi-stemmed Amelanchier trees. The northern and southern edges of the area are bordered by bands of native, insect-friendly shrubs and small trees. Along the eastern building façade, espalier fruit trees grow.

A particular highlight is the green flat roof of the new ÖRK building, designed in a naturalistic way with herb-rich meadows, gravel mounds, and deadwood. Early bloomers such as wild crocuses, tulips, buckwheat, and poppies add visual interest and seasonal accents to the space.

An additional central design element is the freestanding wall in the garden – built from around one thousand salvaged bricks from the demolished Neudörfer House. This wall serves as a symbolic gesture to preserve the memory of Dr. Neudörfer. Built as a dry-stone wall, it provides habitat for various plants and animals, integrating ecologically and meaningfully into the garden design. Students from the local construction academy built the wall as part of a training project – a meaningful gesture.

Architect Elmar Nägele emphasizes that the wall is intentionally thought-provoking: its symbolism and ecological function are not immediately apparent. In contrast to the smooth surface of the fountain, the rough, irregular bricks catch the eye and spark curiosity. Upon closer inspection, an information panel featuring a poetic text by Daniela Egger explains the wall’s significance to the site and its history.

“Designing the open space between the ÖRK and the hospital was a heartfelt project for me, guided by the aim to create a place with healing and revitalizing effects. We kept in mind a diverse target group – including psychosomatic patients, hospital staff, as well as ÖRK personnel and volunteers.
Together with the architects, we created a place for recovery, nature observation, the enjoyment of fruit, and remembrance.” — Maria Anna Schneider-Moosbrugger | Landscape Architect

• All landscape architecture offices involved in the design of landscape:
DI Maria Anna Schneider-Moosbrugger | Studio Landrise

• All architecture offices involved in the design:
Architekten Nägele Waibel

• Other credits:
Foto: Alex Kofler, Maria Anna Schneider-Moosbrugger