Institute for Eye Microsurgery
The core idea of the Project which, in spite of important changes in shape, has been mantained in all the proposals, was based on the following criteria:
The Ronda de Dalt ring-road separating Barcelona from the Sierra de Collserola has been always regarded as traffic and acces route but above all as the boundary between the city and the mountains, between built-up and natural land. This appreciation is not enterely accurate because the city has colonized part of this natural land (as in our case), but Ronda de Dalt nevertheless still marks a sort of city limits, to the west of which natural territory predominates over the built-up territory, This dominion is tranferred physically to the land on a considerable slope that should undoubtely qualify the building that covers it.
The IMO brief, essentially articulated (as in similar cases) on floors for operating theatres, surgeries and administration or study areas and car parks, was significant in that most of the activities are done without natural light (surgeries and operations), although natural light is very necessary as a counterpoint in the waiting, rest and private work areas.
From these considerations, the idea of the building is expressed in the section: a large part of the building is embedded in the ground and only emerges to face the entrance, waiting rooms, administration areas, offices and library off-limits to patients towards the city (with extraordinary views over Barcelona and the sea).
The building looks away from the Ronda de Dalt and penetrates a small garden linked to the Collserola vegetation that distances the building from the city and sumerges it in the surrounding natural environment. Particular care is taken with the street acces to the hall to ensure that it manifests the Institutes aims: attention, care and confort for vision and the tool that makes it possible - the eye. Hence the addition of a semi-open space to the entrance, waiting rooms etc.. in some way and umbraculum that feeds shade and darkness into the outward facing spaces. Like dark glasses, visors or even our hands, reducing the frequently annoying (in climate like ours) and glaring light and sunshine.