The four-part lecture series provided an overview of significant trends and development potential under the heading of health care buildings. Health care and hospital construction experts in four different cities gave detailed and differentiated presentations of their areas of expertise and discussed current concepts such as Healing Environment and Green Hospital.

In his contribution, Professor Nickl covered the spectrum from urban development aspects of hospital construction to political and social considerations in health care planning. The focus was on both the hospital building as a “city within a city” and the special role of the hospital in the social and cultural identity of a city. The influence of political decisions such as regulation of health care or societal and technological developments were also presented and explained using examples from hospital construction practice.