The Dr. Gutiérrez Hospital and the Specialty Outpatient Medical Center of Santa Fe (CEMAFE) recognize the work of Mario Corea and his team, having received the ex–aequo Award from the Central Society of Architects of Argentina, the First Prize ARQ FADEA 2018, and the ORO Gran Premio Nacional.
Utilizing a new typological system, the projects accommodate potential future transformations without altering the buildings' intrinsic characteristics, such as circulation and structure. Flexibility, sustainability, the rational use of resources, and environmental impact assessments are among the core design premises of these evolutionary hospitals.
Learn more about the projects in the authors' own words.
Barcelona-based firm Mario Corea Arquitectura, together with architects Silvana Codina, Francisco Quijano, Bruno Reinheimer, and the Special Projects Unit of the Ministry of Public Works of Santa Fe, have been honored with three awards in Argentina. These honors include the ex-aequo Award from the Central Society of Architects of Argentina for the Dr. Gutiérrez Hospital, as well as the First Prize ARQ FADEA 2018 and the ORO Gran Premio Nacional—both in the public works category—for the Specialty Medical Center (CEMAFE) of the Santa Fe province.
Both hospitals are part of a social architecture program established by the Government of Santa Fe to provide citizens with an integrated infrastructure composed of specialized general hospitals and health centers of varying complexity.
The “typological design system” developed by Mario Corea—who led the Special Projects Unit of the Ministry of Public Works—is the strategy implemented for the design of the hospitals included in this program. Unlike standardized prototypes, this system is based on developing an architectural design that is adaptable to different scales, territories, and user groups.
This typological design system has yielded the concept of the “evolutionary hospital,” which is based on a single, repeating module capable of adapting to progressive technological and functional changes without altering the support structure, general circulation, or facades.
The Dr. Gutiérrez Hospital, located in Venado Tuerto—in southeastern Santa Fe province—responds to emerging concepts in contemporary healthcare, such as sustainability, environmental impact, and the intelligent use of natural and financial resources. Planned as a nodal hub, it is the most modern public hospital in Argentina.
Meanwhile, CEMAFE, the Specialty Outpatient Medical Center of Santa Fe, was designed to diagnose and provide high-complexity care through outpatient surgery. From a construction standpoint, the main challenge was the foundation. Because the site consists of reclaimed land filled from the river, firm ground had to be reached at great depths. Consequently, the team opted for a structural system with floor slabs suspended from a roof beam grid, supported by only four large columns.
Featuring a three-level scheme, the project emphasizes horizontal structures and the creation of an airy, open environment, aided by the distinctive “ramblas” (promenades) and the arrangement of natural light and ventilation. This achieves a highly practical space for both healthcare professionals and users.
This article was written by Mariana Etulain. The translation is powered by AI.
