Architecture | FAAB
FAAB - Wave 4 and Wave 5 - Sopot - Poland
| 2026-07-07 |     |
Healthcare Architecture for Recovery
The Wave 4 and 5 buildings form part of the ECR medical complex in Sopot, located just 400 meters (a quarter mile) from the Baltic Sea. The campus includes an analytical laboratory (Wave 1), an outpatient clinic and day surgery hospital (Wave 2), a specialist hospital (Wave 3), and pre- and post-procedure care facilities (Waves 4 and 5). Waves 4 and 5 house supervised medical-stay rooms, a restaurant, and an extensive rehabilitation center featuring movement therapy and advanced equipment, including laser beam technology, cryotherapy, and hyperbaric therapy, which accelerate post-operative wound healing.
The buildings draw inspiration from Pierre Carreau's AquaViva photograph series, which captures close-up seascapes. Wave geometry is most evident in the upper building volumes and sculptural main entrance canopies. Sunlight gliding across the facade highlights its fine divisions, creating a dynamic three-dimensional presence. Perforated panels incorporate the sacred "Flower of Life" pattern, traditionally attributed with healing properties and found in ancient Egyptian temples, Indian architecture, and Mayan artifacts. This approach references local building traditions of placing ornamental patterns on facades. The designed pattern covers the entire facade of aluminium panels, including flat sections, those with variable geometry, and window shutters. Perforation flows seamlessly from one panel to another, creating visual continuity.
Depending on user needs, the buildings present two distinct faces. A white envelope reflects sunlight, protecting the south, east, and west walls from overheating. Shuttered window panels can create a continuous protective barrier when needed. The proportions between openings and opaque panel sections were refined through work with 1:1 physical models. The final effect enables comfortable use of the building even with all shutters closed, resulting in summer energy savings by reducing cooling demand.
Prefabricated balconies introduce rhythm and additional light-shadow play to the facade. Balcony railings limit views into private balcony spaces and adjacent rooms. Interiors foster security and respite before and after procedures. Medical technology, including nurse call systems, blends discreetly into the decor. The Seaside Garden, visible from windows, balconies, and ground level, has a therapeutic effect, even for bedridden patients. Composed of native dune vegetation, it fills the space between buildings.
3D modelling played a crucial role in both design and construction phases. Separate models were created for the building's external skin, steel structure, and concrete structure. The modelling techniques optimised material use and shortened construction time. Constructed on long-degraded brownfield land, the project transforms 5 hectares into connected green spaces and parks. Both buildings and surrounding grounds feature rainwater harvesting systems that significantly reduce municipal stormwater loads.
About FAAB
FAAB is a Warsaw-based architecture and design studio led by founders Adam Białobrzeski and Adam Figurski, with the studio's Creative Director. Its team works across architecture, urban design, and interiors in Poland and across Europe.
Photo credit: Jakub Certowicz - Dario Breggiè
Keywords:
Poland Sopot Commercial architecture Landscape architecture Commercial Interior Design Restaurant Bar