Carol Urzua Health, Community Centre

by Raimundo Lira Arquitectos

© Pedro Mutis

© Pedro Mutis

Architects: Raimundo Lira, Marlene Fischer, Carolina Valenzuela, Ricardo Gazitúa, Diego Arroyo
Client: Municipality of Santiago
Contractor: Boestch S.A.
Structural Engineer: Enzo Valladares
Constructed Area: 2373M²
Location: Ave. Santa Rosa 1721, Santiago, Chile
Design Year: 2007
Construction year: 2008
Air Conditioning: Cintec S.A.
Lighting: Mónica Pérez y asociados
Signage: Kathryn Gillmore
Technical Inspection: Felipe Edwards
Photography: Pedro Mutis

On Site were there had been some old buildings, a new one is being raised for the elderly citizens of the Municipality of Santiago.

The Carol Urzúa building is a reconstruction of some facilities provided by the communal government of Santiago. The constructions housing the community activities were demolished, whilst the existing courts were improved.

The site, of rectangular proportions, is located on a terraced houses zone of one level height, developed on narrow and long sites, leaving a continuous façade facing the street and inner patios. Each house is painted in a different color with similarities as openings, doors and windows establishing a pattern of continuity in between them.

On site a group of eight grown existing trees were a predominant feature to be kept. The building was to be planned enclosing an inner patio with eight old trees and five added new ones.

The façade was treated splitting the two levels and alternating modules of colored opaque panels and translucent units on a vertical proportions grid. This operation establishes a relationship with the existing houses, diminishing the contrast between the wider front of the building and the terraced houses. Contemporary high quality materials such as double glazed windows and fiber cement pre-painted panels were used.

The plan was developed in two levels, and organized on two main axes: a large corridor parallel to Santa Rosa Avenue and a perpendicular axis connecting the different programs of the building, either at ground floor and in between the two levels.

Ground level holds the entrance hall, medical facilities, a gym and a manual crafts workshop, whilst the administration offices and lecture rooms are on the second floor.

The main hall connects the two levels with a staircase and a ramp (no elevator needed for the handicapped), which its whole length faces the patio with the existing trees.

Environmental issues such as natural zenithal lighting in the second level classrooms and connecting two level voids in halls were considered. Also artificial light was planned with low cost equipment and solar collectors were incorporated to supply hot water.