Unidade de Saúde de Martim – Martim Health Center

The design of the Martim Health Center has been assigned to this office following a competition held by the Regional Services of the Ministry of Health.

The chosen plot is located on a rural area, next to a kindergarten and to the sports and leisure facilities of the village.

The plan follows the strict standards of the health authorities, regarding the functional program, areas of the compartments and the functional relationships between them.

During the design process, decision was made to use the remaining area of the plot between the health center and the kindergarten as a public square, thus marking the main entrance of the building.

The building was elevated from the natural level of the existing ground to coincide with the level of the square so it would be easily visible from the access road.

The building is divided in two volumes, interconnected by a suspended glass gallery. The largest volume, where the main access is located, is occupied with the areas of health care to be used by the public. The other volume contains the service areas, exclusive for staff use.

The chosen orientation, according to an axe perpendicular to the access road, guarantees a good solar orientation for all the compartments (East-West) while insuring the privacy of the spaces destined to medical or nursing offices.

The structure of the building is made up of solid concrete slabs, supported by concrete walls or steel columns.

Concrete is also used in the exterior facades, along with full height aluminum cladding panels and glazed walls between the concrete slabs. The use of the aluminum sandwich panels has a double purpose, insulating the exterior walls and controlling the excess of direct sunlight in the East and West facades.

Given the decision to preserve the natural level of the ground around the building, an iron bridge connects the square and the main entrance of the health center.

The design of the square is based upon a 3x3m concrete slab module, defining grass beds where trees will insure some shadowing over the concrete benches, allowing people to enjoy this new area.