The planned building for the new Valenzá healthcare centre in Orense will be located on a plot which is over 3,666 m2 and sits on a steep sloping area half way between the river, the main road in town – in its lower section – and the motorway – on the upper side of the slope.
The plot is peculiar in that its longitudinal side is pronounced and it is closed off on its eastern front by an access road and a four-storey-high longitudinal block of flats, whilst on its western side, there is a large slope with a big drop, over 16-18 m.
The urban integration of the new healthcare centre intended to take this delicate situation into account. With this rationale, it sought out a correct placement that would minimize the visual and construction impact of this slope, reducing the boxing-in effect of the centre within the plot. The building would rise slightly over the ground level and would be solved by a single-storey-high body, attached to the slope, and an upper floor arranged around a central courtyard.
From an urban point of view, the suggested solution allowed for the creation of public areas of interest and the correct functioning of the centre. An admissions square was generated which is linked to the ambulance and main entrances, as well as building-services rooms in a central location within the plot, thus minimizing distances, and a back plaza connected to the playing and waiting areas of the paediatrics department, the meeting room and other parts of the programme that might require independent access. The squares are qualified by the presence of trees, benches or stairs and mild ramps or stands on the North side of the plot, minimising the impact of the slope on that area and integrating it into a single urban proposal.
During the design of the project, special attention was paid to the protection against excessive sun radiation and to achieving a correct level of lighting as well as to the boosting of the natural cross ventilation of rooms.
The programme is divided into four great areas of care plus the areas destined for the management and maintenance of the centre. The centre has 5 general medicine surgeries, 5 infirmaries, 1 matron’s room, 1 health education room, 1 dentist + hygienist surgery, 1 sampling room, 1 procedures room, 1 multipurpose room, 1 women’s room, 1 emergency room, 2 paediatrics surgeries, 2 paediatric infirmary rooms, a staff room, a board room and a library.

Fact Sheet
Studio: IDOM
Client: Galician Healthcare Services
Location: Valenzá, Orense, Spain
Built Area: 1,952.02 m²
Completion year: 2017
Project Architect: Jesús Llamazares Castro
Collaborating Architects: Cesar Jiménez Valcárcel, João Rafael Abreu Fortes, Pilar Romero Cajigal, Ingrid Valero Geli, Julia Míguez Rey
Landscaper: Julia Metrass Mendes
Quantity Surveyors: José Ángel Rodríguez Souto, Josu Novoa Hernández
Structures: Alejandro Bernabeu Larena, Victoriano Sancho Villasante, Juan Rey Rey (Mecanismo S.L.) Pablo Vegas González (Mecanismo S.L.)
Building Services: Miguel Ces Pérez, Cesáreo Pose Núñez (C&G Técnicos Asociados), Mª José Germil Feás (C&G Técnicos Asociados)
Inspector: Galo Zayas Carvajal
Site Supervision: López Fando Asociados SL
Construction Company: UTE Extraco SA – Misturas SA
Photographer: Aitor Ortiz