Groot Klimmendaal

From a small footprint, the Rehabilitation Centre Groot Klimmendaal designed by Koen van Velsen gradually fans out towards the top and cantilevers out over the surrounding terrain. Despite its size, the brown-golden anodised aluminium facade allows the nearly 14,000 sqm building to blend in with its natural surroundings. Rehabilitation Centre Groot Klimmendaal was awarded Building of the Year 2010 by the Dutch Association of Architects, winner of the first Hedy d’Ancona Award 2010 for excellent healthcare architecture, winner of the Arnhem Heuvelink Award 2010 and winner of the Dutch Design Award 2010 public award and category commercial interior. Full height glazing along the central space connecting the various different internal elements of the building ensures an almost seamless continuity between interior and exterior. The meandering facade in the restaurant results in a building in between trees and invites the forest inside the building. The surrounding nature has a strong visual and tangible presence everywhere in the building; it allows the user to revalidate whilst walking.