In 2018, Elsan announced its intention to consolidate the activities of the Claude Bernard Clinic in Metz and the Notre-Dame Clinic in Thionville—both of which had become outdated—into a single, modern facility. The New Moselle Clinic project, which broke ground in 2022, is the result of months of collaboration with AIA Life Designers’ Health Studio, combining dialogue and shared reflection to involve the client closely in the design process, with the aim of envisioning the hospital of the future together.
The clinic will be located in Maizières-lès-Metz, in a neighborhood undergoing full transformation. It will be complemented by a medical center, laboratory, and nearby parking facilities.
Shaped by environmental concerns and the growing awareness of how lifestyles affect health, the project puts nature at its core. It also responds to the disruptions caused by the health crisis. Faced with the certainty that nothing will be the same again, a renewal in architecture is essential.
Spanning 50,000 m², the Central Parc Clinic will feature 24 operating rooms and 375 beds and care spaces, organized in a pavilion system. The built structures form a ring around a large central park, conceived as the heart of the project. Entry points are distributed around this U-shaped complex to simplify circulation and enhance patient care efficiency.
The park acts as a pretext for the site’s rewilding and serves multiple purposes. Soothing for patients, staff, and visitors alike, it supports biodiversity and helps regulate the site’s microclimate. It includes several landscaped areas tailored to a range of outdoor activities, furnished with urban furniture, and open to the city. The park features a wide variety of trees and plants selected for their role in natural soil depollution.
The main building serves as a “threshold” and houses, on either side of its entrance, the consultation center and outpatient surgery services. At its center is the “Magic Atrium,” bathed in natural light from the park—designed as a place for relaxation, interaction, and activity.
Surrounding the main building are timber pavilions that house long-stay accommodations. With views over the park and abundant natural light, they offer flexibility—now considered essential since the pandemic. This adaptability allows, for example, the expansion of intensive care units in case of emergency situations like a “white plan” (mass-casualty plan) being triggered.
Warm and wood-clad, patient rooms evoke a hotel atmosphere more than a traditional hospital environment. In a Quality of Work Life (QWL) approach, staff also benefit from comfortable break areas that support well-being and team spirit.
Inside and out, the architecture combines concrete, wood, and glass. To optimize costs and follow a low-carbon strategy, local supply chains were prioritized for materials and contractors. Spruce wood is sourced from the Vosges, while Jaumont stone from Moselle clads the facility’s main street-facing façade.
Bioclimatic design choices include photovoltaic panels and a roof water recovery system that feeds an ornamental pond in the park. To mitigate heatwaves, sunshades regulate room temperatures without compromising natural light.
AIA Life Designers’ project reinvents the concept of a clinic, transforming it into a virtuous cycle—a place of well-being where quality care is anchored in the flourishing of all individuals. Above all, it underscores the inseparability of Health and Environment in the future.
Project Owner
ELSAN (Private Hospital and affiliated entities)
Project Team
Architect : AIA Life Designers
All-trades engineering + cost estimation : AIA Ingénierie
Environmental expertise : AIA Environnement
Project management (OPC) : AIA Management
Landscape design : AIA Territoires
Acoustics : AIDA + SSI NAMIXIS
Technical control office : VERITAS
Program
Construction of a health and wellness campus
382 beds and care places
23 operating rooms
Certifications
HQE Excellent
E+C- approach : Level E3C1
Area
Private hospital : 33,000 m²
Additional facilities : 17,000 m²
Parking : 1,200 spaces
Cost
€118 million excl. VAT
Timeline
Winning competition entry : 2020
Completion : 2026
Renderings © BezierCG