Work with Mariluz Sánchez
The new Center for the elderly is located in one of the neighborhoods with the gratest presence of this population group in the City of Madrid. The resulting building will favor the development of their social well-being by guaranteeing caring services and, above all, providing meeting and gathering places.
The project intervenes in the unused wing of a building built at the beginning of the 20th century as a residence for orphaned children.
Taking advantage of the empty space available in the inner block courtyard, the proposal spreads in part of this void completing the block volume in a stretch connection with the existing construction while reserving outdoor spaces such as petanque, orchard and terraces so demanded in these dense neighborhoods.
The wide variety of uses and services (cafeteria, gym, reading rooms, auditorium, hairdresser, chiropody, multipurpose rooms, workshops, etc.) is distributed indistinctly in both buildings, creating a fluid communication of users between the old part and the new one.
Regarding the materials election, existing elements like bricks or metal trusses are left visible in the old part to accentuate its memory. Combining with them, in the new building, warm and comfortable materials are proposed.