CHEM's Administrative Board parts ways with architectural firm

The Südspidol ("South Hospital") project could face yet another significant setback:

According to information obtained by RTL, the client, i.e. the administrative board of the Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch (CHEM), has cut ties with the architecture firm in charge of planning the hospital building. Namely, this was the firm of Albert Wimmer from Vienna, who won the architecture competition in 2015 and made the news in Austria in 2018 due to a construction scandal.

The Südspidol represents the merger of the three CHEM sites in Esch-sur-Alzette, Dudelange, and Niedercorn.

Upon enquiry the president of the CHEM Administrative Board, Esch's mayor-MP Georges Mischo, did not want to confirm this information and referred to Friday instead. Other members of the administrative board contacted by our colleagues from RTL.lu also referred to Friday.

On Friday, the MPs sitting in the Parliamentary Health Commission will receive information on the future of the construction site at the Raemerich roundabout on the Elsebrich site. The MPs will also be briefed on how the administrative board plans to exit out of the contract with Albert Wimmer's architecture firm.

The separation is allegedly tied to a substantial loss of money, which has so far been paid out as remuneration. It is expected that the CHEM representatives will give an exact amount on Friday. According to RTL's information, it is around €30 million.

The Südspidol project would feature 590 beds, three MRI machines, and 16 operating theatres spread across three buildings. The inauguration was planned for mid-2026, but it is completely in the air whether this deadline, which had already been pushed back several times, can still be met.

The State contributes around €434 million to the project, which is expected to cost around €541 million overall. The budget was passed in July 2018.

The Südspidol's official slogan is: "The hospital of tomorrow. From the people, for the people".