SMZC Helmsley

SZMC Helmsley Cancer Center

Jerusalem, Israel
The extension to the Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, designed by Canadian star architect Tye Farrow, impresses with several visible details: as the first timber construction of its size in Jerusalem, it stands out simply because of its chosen design. The importance of architecture for well-being is becoming increasingly recognised in the healthcare sector. The SZMC Helmsley Cancer Centre is shaped like a butterfly, whose wings are formed by 350 m³ of precision-engineered laminated larch timber manufactured by WIEHAG. The butterfly symbolises the transformation from one (health) state to another. Wood, as a ‘warm’ material, supports the concept of health-promoting architecture in this building and is also used in the interior for this reason.

The 16-metre-high wooden structure is designed to convey hope and optimism to the outside world and to give patients a feeling of stability, security and calm during their treatment. It is an example of how appealing the combination of health and architecture can be.