Cafe Area of Macarena Hospital
Architects
Sol89. María González and Juanjo López de la Cruz con Francisco González and Silvia Escamilla
Collaborators
Insur JG, instalaciones; Alejandro Cabanas, structure
Technical Architect
Víctor Baztán
Client
Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía
Construction Companies
Seinsa 2000 S.A.
Photography
Jesús Granada
The hospital is a hub of activity and flows, subject to constant change. The original cafeteria was in a precarious condition due to its insufficient size, difficult access, and poor spatial quality. The first step was to understand that the intervention area is a continuous space—compressed between slabs where the original cafeteria stood and expanding as it connects with the courtyard. We decided to insert a single continuous element, folded and broken, which defines—by contrast with the perimeter of the available void—the medical staff area and a series of courtyards that become new objects of contemplation, avoiding views into the hospitalization area. The parasite, red and shiny, functions by measuring itself against its limits; it is both an occupied element and an occupier of the void. It presents a dual reading—front and back—depending on the user’s position. This embedded structure creates more intimate spaces that favor visual privacy and noise control. It expands into the courtyard, changing its section to define various zones corresponding to different rhythms of occupation. It rests on metal legs that emphasize its character as an inserted element within the hospital system’s ambiguous void. Ultimately, the invading structure breaks through boundaries, reaching the main lobby and connecting with the University Campus—an opportunity to blend with the world beyond the hospital.
