Rosan Bosch Studio: Creating Healing Environments Through Play
Mary Elisabeth Hospital is a new paediatric wing set to open at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. With a strategic play design approach, Rosan Bosch Studio helps rethink healthcare through child-centred design. The project exemplifies how cross-sector collaboration between architecture, design, and healthcare can create environments that are both healing and human-focused.
A new kind of hospital where play, care, and healing come together
Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital is building a new wing dedicated to children, young people, pregnant women, and their families. Mary Elisabeth Hospital, expected to be completed in 2027, sets a new benchmark for play-based care - where play is not an afterthought, but a fundamental part of treatment, rehabilitation, and daily hospital life.
Rosan Bosch Studio was engaged as strategic design partner from the earliest stages. Their task was to ensure that play would be embedded in the hospital’s DNA - from architecture and interior design to care pathways and patient experiences. The result is a strategic design tool developed specifically for this context: a play matrix that informs all aspects of spatial planning and programming.
The matrix considers each child’s age, medical condition, and social relationships, creating a framework for differentiated, inclusive play. It maps out opportunities across all zones of the hospital, from patient rooms and therapy spaces tocommunal areas - ensuring that every child, whether mobile or bedridden, can participate in play. This structure supports a continuous play journey that is customised to the needs of each child, helping reduce anxiety, build trust, and foster a sense of safety.
Design elements such as colour, material, and form are carefully chosen to transform the institutional feel of the hospital into a homely, calming environment. The physical space becomes an active part of care, supporting emotional resilience and creating a sense of normality for children and their families.
Developed in collaboration with 3XN, Arkitema Architects, Niras, and Kristine Jensens Tegnestue, the project unites clinical precision with human-centred design. Rather than moving children between departments, specialists come to them. And instead of isolated playrooms, play flows through the entire hospital—woven into treatments, therapy, and everyday routines. The result is a pioneering healthcare environment where healing and play are seamlessly intertwined.
About Rosan Bosch Studio
Rosan Bosch Studio creates environments that empower people to thrive - mentally, socially, and emotionally. Founded in 2011 by artist and designer Rosan Bosch, the studio combines architecture, design, and science to support playful learning and healing. With projects spanning schools, cultural institutions, and hospitals, their evidence-based approach is rooted in six core design principles that promote creativity, flexibility, and human-centred experiences. Headquartered in Copenhagen and Madrid, the studio is internationally recognised for transforming spaces into drivers of positive change.