hospital in the forest

The building combines the strong presence of a landmark with the soft treatment of its permeable facade, offering a friendly urban facade. The landscape around the building adopts a more fluid and dynamic language, strategically connecting the access points, enhancing the accessibility of the sloped terrain, making the intervention part of the urban fabric and extending the park to the upper terrace.

The highly functional internal organisation is based on providing a safe and efficient physical environment that promotes wellbeing for patients, visitors and staff.

The multiple inner courtyards inserted at every level provide cross ventilation, natural light and views as required. The careful balance between mass and void results in a porous and permeable building, like a spongy organ with alveoli efficiently connected with a hierarchical circulation system. The result is a building with multiple open spaces and green areas, a welcoming and relaxing environment focused on the efficiency of the layout both for the front and back of house operations.

The pure and symbolic building form is then protected with a wrapping skin. This external louvred facade controls the sunlight facilitates the maintenance and provides a unifying external appearance.

The compact and rational building massing comes from an optimised functional arrangement of the programme. The scheme is supported by a consistent structural grid that works seamlessly with the basement, the typical rooms and the operating theatres while allowing flexibility for future modifications.

The building counts with two underground levels, one for the car park and one for services, plant rooms and deliveries. That level is also accessible from Victor Babeș street, where the emergency area is located.

The ground floor counts with a generous double-height space open towards the public plaza, working as an entrance lobby. On the opposite side, a series of lifts and staircases made up the core of the building, connecting the levels vertically. The typical floors provide space for the different departments around a central courtyard. In contrast, the operating rooms, located on the top floor, have direct access to the heliport on the roof.

The proposal is conceived under sustainable design principles, including materiality, connection with nature, control of natural light, space planning optimisation, air quality and energy consumption.