Taniyama Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan

Japanese rehabilitation hospital designed to coexist with its neighbours
The gateless entrance approach to the Jiaikai Foundation's Taniyama Hospital opens to the community, much greenery and flowers are arranged on the periphery, a tea room and gallery hall are located on the 1st floor to accept neighbours, and the structural design in which echelon hospital rooms shifted by 45º are set back gradually to avoid the sight line interference with neighbour houses. All of these express the intention that the hospital would exist in cooperation with the community.

External sound is muted with fabric-like expressive green tiles, and the illumination resembles starry skies seen through large windows at night, indicative of the architects' intention to achieve such an environment as to accept patients gently and liberally, and that doctors, nurses and staff are proud of.

The rehabilitation building is located at the southeast corner nearest to the local community, and a gallery hall and tea room are provided to positively encourage interaction with the community.

Hospital rooms are provided in the echelon layout, and light courts are effectively inserted into corridors having various spatial changes, so that light and wind enter even the innermost places. Windows are provided also at inner corners surrounded by hospital rooms, so that such corners can be used for simple day care.

Natural materials including Japanese oak, linden plywood, cork and bamboo which are often used in houses are adopted inside the building. The contrast between such natural materials and effectively laid-out as-cast concrete walls tightens up the space.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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