In Situ (Feb 2017)
Valoriser le patrimoine climatique : la reconversion des sanatoriums de cure antituberculeuse
Abstract
Sanatoriums designed for curing diseases such as tuberculosis represent an important component of the architectural heritage of the twentieth century. They are the embodiment of a renewal of hospital architecture where the sick person is the central element of the medical project. For half a century then, these sanatoriums were at the forefront of innovation both in medical and architectural terms. Most of them were constructed between 1900 and 1950 and share some specific architectural features, associated with the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. They are generally long buildings, removed from sources of pollution, possibly in the mountains, with surrounding parks designed for health-giving walks, with rooms all facing south, with cure facilities easily accessible and often with high quality finishings. After massive modernisation projects during the 1960s and 1970s, many sanatoriums are today confronted with the problems ensuing from the end of their medical functions. Conversion projects are often made difficult by the sanatoriums’ isolated location and by their dimensions which are often exceptional. A few remarkable examples of this type of architecture have witnessed exemplary restoration projects (like the Zonnestraal sanatorium in the Netherlands, Bella Lui in Switzerland or Paimio in Finland), but other conversion projects on less well-known sites have been more heavy-handed and have contributed to a loss of architectural and landscape qualities. The proper conversion of a former sanatorium must involve an exhaustive analysis of the building’s architectural and technical features as well as a proper understanding of the changes the building has seen since its opening. This preliminary study giving in-depth knowledge of the building should come before the definition of the new functions for the building, in order to guarantee the appreciation of its original dispositions. In mountain regions, where these health facilities were often assembled in climate resorts, the complementarity of the different elements requires a town-plannning approach.
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