Safdie Architects Designs an Advanced Teaching Hospital Rooted in Colombian Vernacular

Architizer Editors Architizer Editors

A critical new resource for Cartagena, and the Caribbean region, the Centro Hospitalario Serena del Mar designed by Safdie Architects is an advanced teaching hospital premised on the notion that access to nature and daylight is vital to creating improved experiences for patients, families and staff.

Understanding that well-being promotes better clinical outcomes, the design is conceived of as a garden hospital, offering patients, staff and families access to a diverse array of gardens, daylight and nature throughout the building. Inpatient facilities are housed in wings with shallow floor plates to maximize the spaces with direct proximity to daylight. Even in areas where operational efficiency is paramount (emergency rooms, labs, and clinics), daylight and views of nature are maintained.

The architectural character of the hospital is rooted in the traditional vernacular of the city, with projecting roofs designed to attract breezes through the project and provide protection from sun and rain. The design encourages people to comfortably move between indoors and outdoors to experience the natural surroundings.

Read more about the project here:

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