What are the main elements of your client trust mandate for this project?

pom+ was commissioned as a fiduciary representative of the client from the preliminary study through the entire planning phase to commissioning. Our task is to provide the client with professional advice on strategic, procedural and construction-related issues, to prepare a comprehensible basis for decision-making and thus to enable people without a construction background to participate in a well-founded manner. In addition, we monitor planning and implementation and, if necessary, actively intervene in the project on behalf of the client. Another important function is the independent checking of every invoice approved by the general planner for correctness and compliance with the work contract and the progress of the project before it enters the payment process and further approvals.

Where do you see special features of your support and advice?

The special feature and at the same time the attractiveness of the mandate was in particular that it included all phases of a construction project and therefore also required all of the client’s competencies. This began with initial strategic and operational studies and led to the search for a location and conclusion of a building lease agreement with the Roman Catholic parish of Dübendorf, close coordination with the political municipality of Fällanden and then, during planning and execution, intensive collaboration with the general planning team led by apb architekten ag from Uster.

In your opinion, which concepts and tasks in the areas of construction, operation and use were particularly complex?

Although the children’s hospice is a manageable building project in terms of size, it places high demands on the planning due to the large number of different uses. Functions are to be combined under one roof that meet the special needs of seriously ill children and their families as well as combining functional, care, emotional and design requirements in a balanced way.

Ultimately, the aim was to create a “home” with a familiar character, in which the conditions for the best possible operation could be met at the same time

What were the biggest challenges in your mandate and what was particularly demanding?

As the children’s hospice is a unique institution in Switzerland, the project was uncharted territory for everyone involved – both conceptually and operationally. The challenge was to develop solutions together with the client and the planners that would meet the highest standards of quality, safety and empathy by comparing reference projects from neighboring countries with the requirements for an operation in Switzerland.

Is this mandate different from others and what made your work special?

This mandate differs from traditional projects in several respects – in particular due to the extraordinary commitment of the client. It is made up almost entirely of people who are driving the project forward on a voluntary basis and with great personal dedication. This tangible motivation is transferred directly to everyone involved in the project and creates a special atmosphere of cooperation. For everyone involved, the children’s hospice is far more than just a building project – it is a matter close to their hearts, which is treated with great care, respect and enthusiasm.

Heinz Specker, Board of Trustees and Construction Project Manager in conversation with pom+: Mirjam Fischinger, MSc. Civil Engineering, ETH Zurich and Martin Boda, Dipl. Arch. ETH SIA, NDS BWI ETH.