Bergen, Norway
Glasblokkene at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen realizes an ambitious vision for an integrated paediatric and women’s hospital where somatic and psychiatric services are consolidated within a single, coherent facility.
Glasblokkene by PKA arkitekter,KHR Architecture, and Rambøll Arkitekter, won an 2026 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
Grounded in the values of trust, openness and quality, the project employs daylight, landscape connections, sensory engagement and play as essential components of a healing architectural environment.
Designed from the perspective of the child, it prioritises movement, activity and social interaction as intrinsic aspects of health. Equally, it provides carefully considered spaces for relatives and staff, whose roles are fundamental in treatment and care.
Constructed in two phases (2017 and 2023), Glasblokkene is the largest component of a regional healthcare strategy serving the 1.1 million inhabitants of Western Norway.
It introduces a life-course model that integrates physical and mental healthcare from the prenatal stage through adolescence, setting a new benchmark for interdisciplinary collaboration and holistic paediatric services.
The project also advances a strategic commitment to workplace quality through sustainable work processes, technology, and efficient sharing of space and equipment.
The steep site between the mountain and the city shaped the architectural response. The building mass is divided into slender glass volumes—“piano keys”—carefully adapted to the topography to draw daylight, views and vegetation deep into the interior.
Locally sourced stone anchors the composition, establishing a warm, tactile and human-scale environment.
The hospital’s location within a well-connected urban area reduces traffic impact and supports sustainable mobility. An Energy Centre with therapeutic pools further extends the hospital’s social reach by serving vulnerable groups in the surrounding community.
Operationally, services are organised around the patient: specialists travel to the child rather than the reverse. This approach improves coordination, continuity and patient experience.
Glasblokkene was the world’s first fully digitised hospital construction project, using an advanced BIM-based digital twin that remains integral to operation. It allows real-time monitoring of technical systems, facilitates rapid adaptation, and significantly streamlines maintenance processes.
Extensive user involvement informed the architectural and interior design. Child-centred spaces, bespoke furniture, natural materials, and family rooms with overnight accommodation contribute to a compassionate and therapeutic environment.
Principles of democratic design ensure that the most generous views are allocated to inclusive functions such as playrooms, staff areas and isolation rooms.
Healing gardens with native vegetation, tactile artworks and strong visual connections to the landscape create opportunities for calm, discovery and engagement—also for children unable to go outdoors.
Sustainability has guided the project from inception through operation. The hospital achieves energy class A performance through low-carbon concrete, solar panels, energy wells and systems for reusing wastewater in the landscape.
A robust structural system, flexible floor plans and durable materials ensure adaptability over time.
Delivered at a significantly lower cost per square metre than comparable Norwegian hospitals, Glasblokkene combines architectural quality with long-term environmental, social and economic value.
Project: Glasblokkene
Architects: PKA arkitekter
Lead Architects: Nina Kielland
Design Team: Randi Pedersen, Heike Horrmann, Anne Tomren Støring, Naja K. Jensen, Trine Norberg
Architects: KHR Architecture
Lead Architect: Caroline Tjernås
Design Team: Lars Kragh, Ida Garvik, Nis Mark, Flemming Strandsbjerg, Anders Damsgård
Architect: Rambøll Arkitekter, Trondheim
Lead Architect: Siri Rørholt
Design Team: Harald Aas, Mari Holden Nicolaysen, Anders Lager, Solveig Kornstad
Landscape Architects: Schønherr AS landskapsarkitekter
Lead Landscape Architect: Jannik Rosenlind
Contractor: LAB Entreprenør AS
Client: Helse Bergen HF
Photographers: Jiri Havran and Øystein Fykse
