The opening of a new pharmacy in the town of Ribarroja, near Valencia, led the client to ask us to renovate an old building to turn it into a striking icon in the area.
The facade, made with Alucobond panels, is conceived as a large white box cantilevered over a fully permeable ground floor. The second floor houses the private areas such as the office, the storage room, the laboratory and the guard's room. The entire program receives natural light through its rear facade, facing south, while the opposite facade, the main one, is used as a large commercial sign.
The first floor is completely exposed to the public, except for the toilet and a meeting room. From the entrance, light fixtures guide the customer to the counters, while the product is distributed with custom-made furniture creating different routes. In the center of the commercial room, a tree rises above the rest of the elements, enhancing the pharmacy's healthy message. Other noteworthy elements are the counters, made of Corian and designed as a thin sheet on which a wooden cross stands out. This material, together with the marble floor, reinforces the modern and hygienic message that is intended to convey.
Collaborating architect: Luis Duart
Photography: Germán Cabo