gabriela               martínez

Barcelona, Spain

This project explores how the urban fabric changes scale and enters the hospital. Responding to the functional requirements, the building begins as a horizontal pavilion-like typology, while in response to its urban location it develops another more compact and vertical volume, freeing up space for a large green plaza to oxygenate the city. Around its edges there are various architectural solutions making it more accessible, with ramps, stairways and walls of vegetation inviting pedestrians to explore its walkways. The program is resolved in three main blocks: the outpatient area with access from the plaza; the critical area with access from the street; and the inpatient area in the vertical block, with a facade overlooking the city. In both plan and section, both the constructed areas and the voids allow for growth of the hospital facilities while also filling the interior space with natural light.