In close cooperation with the Altona Children’s Hospital, we were able to realize an extension for the McDonald’s Children’s Aid Foundation on the building that was inaugurated 11 years ago and was also originally designed by us.
On the second floor, which we had already planned from the outset as a potential extension, nine additional apartments, a spacious living and kitchen area, as well as further ancillary spaces have now been created for the Ronald McDonald House.
The aim of the project is to expand an existing place that not only provides functional support for families of seriously ill children, but also offers them comfort, closeness, and a sense of security.
Among those attending the ceremonial opening of the extension were Maryam Blumenthal, Senator for Science, Research and Gender Equality of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg; the patrons Petra van Bremen and Laura Papendick; and other distinguished guests, including Christiane Dienhold, Managing Director of the Altona Children’s Hospital.
All of them were able to see for themselves that the promise we made to patron Laura Papendick at the start of construction on December 17, 2024—to complete this extension, in part while the facility remained in operation, in time for an opening exactly 12 months later on December 17, 2025—has indeed become reality through the great efforts of everyone involved in the construction process.
With the extension, the Ronald McDonald House Hamburg-Altona now has a total of 20 apartments and can accommodate up to 450 families per year—almost twice as many as before.
The direct connection to the hospital was a key planning consideration: it provides parents with both a sense of security and a place of retreat, while allowing them to be with their children at any time at short notice. We are very pleased that this extension has resulted in a comprehensive building that, beyond its architectural function, makes an important social contribution.
Click here to access the press release.
Photo: Julia Marx
