Staff ReporterA NEW haven for cancer patients – the first of its kind to be built in mainland Europe – has opened in the stunning grounds of Barcelona’s Sant Pau Hospital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Spain.
The Kalida Sant Pau Centre is part of the Maggie Centres network, a Scottish charity that creates uplifting spaces to help anyone affected by cancer.
Adorned with honeycomb-shaped ceramic tiles, the centres’ red-brick facade complement the decorative, art nouveau hospital.
“The whole project has been inspired by the richness of materials, textures, colours, geometries, drawings and greenery of the original hospital complex,”explained lead architect Benedetta Tagliabue.
A garden lined with patios, trees and pergolas offers patients an escape from a medical environment while maintaining direct access to the hospital’s oncology department.
Alongside counselling rooms and communal spaces the centre contains a kitchen area, small library and dining area.
Tagliabue said: “The building scale, the design of the facades and the garden establish a respectful dialogue with this outstanding environment.”
