Algarve Hospital

PROJECT: Central Hospital of the Algarve

The Portuguese government, through Parcerias Saúde, under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement, launched the tender for the Project, Construction, and Management contract for the concession of the Algarve Central Hospital. The total investment over the concession period is €267 million (January 2008 prices). The new Algarve Central Hospital is located in Faro and will serve half a million people. It will have 549 beds, 10 operating rooms, 90 consulting rooms and offices, a day hospital unit, hemodialysis, oncology, radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, 60 emergency bays, as well as units for pediatrics, obstetrics and neonatology, mental health, and research and teaching. A platform has been created on a gentle slope, unifying the complex and reinforcing its identity as a healthcare infrastructure. On this platform, the inpatient wards are organized into several buildings that establish an architectural and urban dialogue with the surrounding environment, always facing south.

The building comprises six above-ground floors divided into two volumes that are staggered over the terrain, in addition to a basement level containing parking, a disaster relief area, and an oncology ward. Open to natural light, the volume located on the lower slope features eight enclosed courtyards that ventilate the block, providing the necessary light for optimal habitability, while the hospitalization modules open to the surrounding landscape.

With a surface area of ​​122,686 m², the presented project, in addition to guaranteeing its functional efficiency, provides the necessary flexibility that, among other reasons, allows for its expansion according to future needs. User safety, environmental quality, and a high level of comfort are complemented by the easy-to-understand internal circulation patterns, which are compatible with the necessary privacy for the technical staff.