Javier Terrados Architecture Studio

Health Center at Gibraleón

HEALTH CENTER AT GIBRALEÓN

Javier Terrados Estudio de Arquitectura

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda

BRICK WORK
Victor Baztán Cascales

COLLABORATOR
Rodrigo Morillo-Velarde Santos, Juan Pérez Parras

CONSTRUCTION
Alto La Era

CLIENT
Servicio Andaluz de Salud. Delegación Provincial de Salud de Huelva

PHOTOGRAPHS
Fernando Alda

YEAR
2020

LOCATION
Gibraleon, Spain

CATEGORY
Healthcare Center

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda

Text description provided by architect.

A special opportunity was given to us with the commission for the new Health Centre at Gibraleón.

The plot was somehow unique, with an edge of the city at its back, a small museum at one side, and an open-air arena at its front.

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda

The most probable approaching itinerary from downtown would first face the back facade of the building (hermetic on purpose) and would continue leaving the museum at one side and following an ample porch that leads the visitor to the entrance of the building.

The access is not a direct one, but it is mediated by a secluded gardener courtyard.

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda

In this way we intended to create a sequence that could lead to a progressive withdrawal from the urban daily activity, making the consultant ready for the visit to the surgeries, a kind of modern oracle.

Once you enter the building, the above-mentioned preparation sequence continues after reaching the information desk and getting to the waiting rooms.

These are visually connected with their secluded tree-covered patios, which allow natural lighting and ventilation in quiet surroundings.

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda

As Simon Unwin said: “Transitions in architecture have been used as metaphors for interfaces between different worlds: public and private; sacred and secular; reality and fantasy; life and death”.

We could add here: “Between illness and health, between extroversion and introversion”.

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda

The size of the plot allowed us to hollow up the layout of the program of uses, giving space to several gardened areas, to propose an inward-looking health centre, with its rooms opening to a series of green spaces surrounded by walls.

A clear central circulation axis organizes the whole building following a comb-like scheme, making easier the orientation for a frequently troubled kind of visitor.

On the ground floor, the central corridor that leads to the areas of surgeries looks back to the city scene in a veiled way, through a thick lattice of stone pillars.

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda

The upper floor is completely inward-looking; with its main corridor lighted by translucent windows.

For the rest of the rooms, landscaped courtyards and gardens built their exterior space.

We wanted a hacienda, or somehow a series of courtyard houses, instead of the usual fenestrated administrative building.

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda

Health Centres do not heal: they build up a scenery where the communication act of health takes place and, if possible, after a progressive mental distancing from daily activity.

Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda


Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda


Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda
Health Center at Gibraleón
© Fernando Alda


Health Center at Gibraleón
Ground Floor Plan
Health Center at Gibraleón
First Floor Plan


Health Center at Gibraleón
Section
Health Center at Gibraleón
Section


Health Center at Gibraleón
Site Plan
Health Center at Gibraleón
Elevation

Javier Terrados Architecture Studio
T +34 954 001420 F +34 954 001421
Javier Terrados Architecture Studio
Calle Rosario Vega, 2, 41010 Sevilla, Spain