From left to right: Prof. Dr Nicolas Wernert (Dean), Ashok-Alexander Sridharan (Mayor), Michael Groschek (North Rhine-Westphalia Minister for Building, Housing and Urban Development), Prof. Dr Dr h.c. mult. Wolfgang Holzgreve (Medical Director), Alexander Pröbstl (Care/Patient Service Board), Prof. Dr med. Dagmar Dilloo (Director of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology), Damian Grüttner (Business Management)

The moment finally arrived on 20th March! Less than a year after the ground breaking, Bonn University Hospital celebrated the topping out ceremony for the Parent-Child Centre (ELKI).

“It is a wonderful day for Bonn University Hospital. The topping out ceremony marks an important milestone for the ELKI, which we will move into at the end of 2018,” said Medical Director and Chairman Professor Wolfgang Holzgreve, speaking of the new building on the Venusberg campus site. “The construction work is moving along quickly, exactly on schedule and budget.”

The new Parent-Child Centre, designed by Nickl & Partner Architekten AG, unites the disciplines of paediatrics and obstetrics under one roof. The design is distinguished by clear urban development structures that mediate between the natural spatial situation of the Venusberg and the hospital grounds, while also including the necessary amalgamation of functions.

But, it is not simply a matter of functionality. The ELKI is also intended to be an anxiety-free zone. So various art concepts and interactive play areas are planned in the building. Several ideas originated with famous comedian and physician Dr Eckart von Hirschhausen, whose many years of philanthropic activity under the motto “humour helps healing” were incorporated into the overall concept of “culture helps healing” in the ELKI. Other play and art concepts will also encourage the children to explore the building with all of their senses.

The chairman of Bonn University Hospital, Prof. Holzgreve, thanked his building department and the users, ministries, city, architects, planners and building personnel for their careful preparations and timely execution, which meant that, following the topping out ceremony, nothing stood in the way of moving into the ELKI before Christmas 2018.