Private Hospital Renovation

HCA Klinikken

HCA Klinikken is housed in a historic manor that was to be transformed into a fully functioning hospital accommodating all essential medical facilities, including waiting areas, operating rooms, consultation spaces, and care environments. The task was to meet strict functional and technical healthcare requirements while challenging the conventional perception of hospital interiors as purely clinical spaces. The ambition was to create an environment that fosters calm, safety, and healing for patients, their relatives, and healthcare professionals alike.

Client: HCA Klinikken

Location: Odense, Denmark

Year: 2022

Category: Commercial

Collaborator: Waiting Room Studio

Mette risbæk architect plantegning commercial projekt private hospital

The interior design is founded on the belief that hospital spaces do not need to be clinically white to feel clean and safe. The historic architectural framework has been carefully preserved and restored, while the interiors are shaped to feel intimate, tactile, and welcoming. Natural light, textiles, and soft furnishings contribute to an atmosphere that resembles a calm and gracious home rather than a traditional medical setting.

The studio was responsible for all aspects of the interior design. From developing the overarching vision and spatial flow to overseeing execution, styling, lighting, acoustics, and wayfinding. The result is a medical environment that feels contemporary and refreshing, yet grounded in a timeless sense of gravitas and respect for the building’s heritage.

“We wanted interiors that felt highly professional, with simple gestures and clean lines, but simultaneously aesthetically pleasing and inviting, to help our patients feel comfortable.
This is exactly what Mette Risbæk helped us achieve.
Mette is highly respectful towards our ambitions and suggestions, while gently nudging us towards constructive next steps. We think the result is fantastic.”

- Alan Kimper-Karl, CEO

As one moves through the building, a gradual transition unfolds from smaller, more intimate spaces to larger and more open rooms, with functions shifting along the way. These transitions are subtly marked through variations in wall colours, while furniture and lighting create a cohesive expression throughout. Tactile materials such as curtains, wood, and upholstery add warmth and contrast to the building’s harder surfaces, inviting all the senses to engage.

“The interior design should reflect HCA Clinic’s identity, future ambitions, and vision for the hospital, while supporting everyday functionality and creating welcoming, well-functioning environments for both patients and hospital staff.”
- Mette Risbæk

Services selected for this project.

A tailored selection of services chosen to support the scope, complexity, and specific needs of the project.

Strategic guidance throughout the project, helping the client make confident decisions from early ideas to final choices.
Development of a new layout that improves flow, functionality, and the relationship between spaces.
A visual framework that defines the overall direction, atmosphere, and design intent of the project.
Detailed design of selected spaces, tailored to how they are used in everyday life. The process includes collaboration with trusted interior brands to ensure quality and longevity, as well as guidance in selecting furniture that reflects the client’s personality and fits seamlessly into the overall design.
Careful selection of materials and finishes, including textiles, stone, wood, and surfaces, chosen to suit each space and reflect the client’s style—ensuring cohesion, durability, and a balanced interior expression.
Planning of lighting to support both function and atmosphere across the space.
A coordinated colour palette that clarifies which colours suit each space and supports the desired atmosphere—enhancing light, mood, and continuity throughout the project.
Visual representations that help the client understand the proposed design and make decisions with confidence.ription