Safety first | New Karolinska Solna

The upholstery textile Parkland is used throughout New Karolinska Solna (NKS), a state-of-the-art hospital in Solna, Sweden. Specified to contribute to the “patient first” interior concept, tests have revealed it to be the best fabric in terms of disinfection performance.

The team at NKS tested several textiles. As part of this investigative process, Parkland was 'infected' with bacteria and subsequently disinfected and measured for cleanliness.

Primarily used in the hospital’s administrative areas, Parkland is disinfected at least once a week. It is possible to do this with various agents, such as ethanol 70-85% and chlorine-based agents 1000-12000 ppm.

Parkland features in custom colours at the NKS. The palette for the textile was developed in accordance with the hospital’s timeless colour scheme, which is inspired by nature and the changes in the seasons.

Eva Nyberg, Architect, SIR/MSA Nyréns Architects: “The NKS project has high environmental, as well as hygiene and strength requirements. Our interior designers searched for a textile that matched these high standards of functionality, hygiene and the environment. Furthermore, the hospital has the motto "patient first", and we wanted to contribute an interior that is inviting and caring - an experience that is important for both staff and patients. Parkland became a natural choice for us. In cooperation with Kvadrat, we were given the opportunity to develop the product in materiality, feeling and colour palette.“

The NKS features a diverse selection of natural materials and is designed to deliver the highest levels of hygiene and sustainability. All the materials used in the construction, from the concrete in the foundation to the lighting fixtures, are resource-efficient.