Sustainable Hospital Architecture Takes Center Stage at JAS 2026 in Menton
At the Journées de l’Architecture en Santé 2026 (JAS) in Menton, Catherine Jaquier-Bühler and Marwen Feriani presented the lecture “What Hospital Model for Tomorrow? The Adaptive Hospital as a Response to Changes in the Swiss Healthcare System.”
This renowned annual event brings together architects, engineers, planners, and healthcare decision-makers to discuss current challenges and future prospects for healthcare facilities.
The presentation centered on the question of how hospitals can remain adaptable in the long term in the face of demographic change, the increasing shift toward outpatient care, economic conditions, and technological innovations. The concept of the “evolutionary hospital,” which relies on flexible, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, was presented.
As a concrete example, the speakers presented the Bruderholzspital “Beletage” project, with which IB, together with the general contractor HRS, won the competition for the partial new construction of the Baselland Cantonal Hospital. The project impressed the jury with its integration into the urban fabric, functional clarity, high adaptability, and its contribution to healing architecture. The renovation and expansion of the “Sonnenhof” hospital in Bern was also presented as a completed example illustrating the practical implementation of flexible and adaptable healthcare buildings while the clinic remains in operation.
The conference generated significant interest. The numerous comments and expert discussions following the presentation confirmed the relevance of the topic and the audience’s interest in innovative strategies for the further development of existing hospital sites. The Bruderholz project, in particular, was viewed by participants as exemplary for the future transformation of healthcare facilities.