Vigo Hospital

The difficulty faced by the project was that of building an effective structure given the steep slope of the attractive wooded terrain. This setting inspired the idea of a landscaped hospital, precisely terraced into the slope. Three large zones are clearly apparent: the medical and technical block high on the hill, the inpatient accommodation located downhill and characterised by its comb structure, open to the valley, and lastly the consultation zone (outpatient hospital) and the logistical part including the car park deployed as a plinth in the form of large planted terraces. The circulations are carefully designed to take account of the differentiated access points for visitors, staff and logistics, as well as for the A&E department located at the back of the medical and technical block.

The separation established ensures a clear distinction between the medical centre and the inpatient accommodation, with the twin advantages of ensuring the scalability of the medical platform surmounted by its technical level (utilities, fluids, etc.) and offering each of the patient’s rooms a panoramic view of the valley. This rational layout priorities the comfort and convenience of patients, visitors and healthcare staff. Stretching between the technical block and the inpatient unit, an interior street irrigates the whole building, enabling differentiation of the flows between patients and consulting staff.

Throughout, light penetrates widely via patios traversing the consultation platform and the outpatient hospital, punctuating the interior street and the operating theatres. The architectural treatment is in keeping with the purpose of the various units and aims to be in tune with the environment. Thus, the medical and technical block is clad with a lacquered aluminium facing, while the wings containing the inpatient wards describe large curves with their glass façades. The plinths of the terraces are made of granite, a material characteristic of the region.

Maritime pines are thickening the adjoining eucalyptus forest. The terraces, meanwhile, will be receiving vegetation suited to the location’s climate and character, with willows near the river, whose course has been left unaltered, and espaliered orchards. The resulting effect is that of a construction that is on the same scale as the landscape, but without being excessive, thus effectively cultivating a feeling of privacy and well-being.