This renovation transforms a functional stairwell into a thoughtfully designed passage that mirrors the patient’s journey through a hospital, an experience defined by moments of anticipation, uncertainty, and eventual relief. Rather than treating the staircase as mere infrastructure, the design embraces its role as a transition space, a “liminal zone” where subconscious perceptions of materiality, light, and form profoundly shape emotional well-being.

Drawing on Sabine Hansmann’s insights in Monospace and Multiverse, the project recognises that spatial environments are enacted through the interplay of people, objects, and materials. Polished chrome balustrades, inspired by the precision of surgical instruments, and frameless glass treads evoking patient fragility work together to create clarity and calm. The spiral guides users through a sequence of moments much like the twists and turns of a patient’s path. Subtle curves in the stainless-steel handrail hint at the sculptural drama of Frank Gehry’s concert halls, offering wayfinding cues and spatial interest.