Primary Healthcare Center - UBS Parque do Riacho

"Para mí los patios son como espacios exteriores domesticados: en ellos se está en contacto con la naturaleza, se escucha el canto de los pájaros, se huele el campo después de las lluvias y se puede mirar de noche a las estrellas.

To achieve this, the project features three separate rectangular blocks which demarcate and shape the external area while also creating more private inner courtyards. This strategy enlarged the volume of the building, community public facility that is welcoming and open to transformations in the neighborhood.

Dividing the building in blocks made it easier to adapt to the varying levels of the terrain, and connecting the blocks through ramps ensured universal design and accessibility. A relatively large area was left available for future projects, either for a rational modular extension or to be used as an open space for other activities. The creation of a community garden has recently been considered.

Even though it was designed before the Covid-19 pandemic, the connection of the courtyards with the waiting rooms ensures the required ventilation for spaces with large groups of people.

ACCESS SQUARE

Access to the healthcare unit is made from the northern side, connecting the last stretch of the public sidewalk to the large entrance square, leaving the vehicular access and parking area at the end of the street.

The main entrance is through the central block, which connects to the end of the pedestrian access square. This block serves as a core, distributing the different functions and guiding the public to the other blocks.

In this wing, the courtyard is more of a contemplation area, serving spaces such as the reception, information desk, administration office, and auditorium. This block also contains auxiliary services such as a pharmacy and a vaccination center, which allow more direct contact with the public.

This arrangement around courtyards helps with sectorization, minimizing functional conflicts between sectors, and ensuring a welcoming atmosphere to all spaces.

The front block, closest to the parking lot and the passenger pick-up & drop-off area, contains the technical sector and service entrance. This block also includes part of the medical care, a dental office with all its associated departments. This way, the waiting room for this sector can be a little smaller.

The building envelope is made of pre-cast concrete panels, pre-fabricated screen blocks, and steel windows and doors. The double-skin facade is composed of cobogó walls and glass, creating an intermediate cavity between layers that allows for thermal control while also providing a corridor for circulation between doctor's offices and other facilities.

The materials used for the facades create visual harmony and provide privacy to the technical wings. The interior partitions are made of drywall for functional flexibility. The roof is made of thermo-acoustic tiles. The choice of building materials reflects the spatial and functional quality required for a Primary Healthcare Unit, creating a connection with users and patients, both physically and sensory.

STRUCTURE

The foundation consists of reinforced concrete slabs cast in place with a small overhang along the perimeter, made possible by the recessed grade beams placed above ground level.

COMFORT

The project looks simple, but it contains a complex and effective environmental protection system. The inner courtyards collect rainwater to be used for watering the gardens, also providing fresh air. The exterior double-skin facade functions as a screen and a protective layer.

Passive daytime ventilation provides evaporative cooling under the shade of the trees and the roof. This is an effective system that improves the energy efficiency of the building by eliminating the need for artificial air conditioning.