Centro de Saúde Barrhead

A community center modern and flexible, designed to provide primary medical services to the public – beyond social care at home. The Barrhead Health and Care Centre – as it is known – is located in Renfrewshire, UK. The Centre includes clinics, two dental offices, three offices of general practitioners, sexual health clinic and a department of podiatry and physiotherapy. Their departments ensure complete privacy to patients.

The London office of Avanti Architects, responsible for the design, highlights the ease of movement and identification of the services offered within the center. “The use of color in visual communication allows direct access to many departments, linking the user to the receptions of each service offered. Creating attractive surroundings with generous spaces and ample natural light provide patient support and personal satisfaction to employees”.

Many of the services currently available were not offered previously. The process of modernization and rationalization was designed in detail, aiming to ease the demand in hospitals and increase the advanced methods of treatment for patients. “The building was implemented in different contexts: on the one hand, there is a shopping center and on the other, there is a park. In part that overlooks the mall, the building was set on three floors, which complements the adjacent offices in scale and use,” explain the architects. In addition, the staff ensure patient safety with internal circuitry television in the external areas and careful planning receptions and waiting rooms.

Efficient Solutions

According to the architects, the building was designed to complement neighboring buildings and is part of a long-term master plan to improve the city center. “Natural light enters the central atrium-ceilinged overlooking a park. The clinical areas are located on the ground and first floors, with easy access (and escape route) for users of wheelchairs”.

The facade of the building has two stair towers coated stone. “It was designed to be sustainable intensive maximizing daylighting and artificial lighting. The heating in winter and cooling in summer are obtained by a heat pump ground source connected to a geothermal installation in the parking lot” they conclude.