San Raffaele Hospital

The so-called “Iceberg” because of its peculiar shape, was created as an extension in the heart of the existing hospital, abandoning the scheme of horizontal squares to rise in height, combining functionality and aesthetics.
The new building consists of two significant elements that complement each other both architecturally and functionally: the technical plate that houses the most essential hospital functions (such as the surgical block, intensive care, and emergency room) and the tower, which houses the wards, doctors’ offices, and outpatient departments. Both complement the growing demand for care at the international level.

The technical plate, which is only one level above ground level, is marked by the utmost pragmatism, including its form, to ensure the functionality and flexibility of the activities housed and guarantee recognizable and brief accesses and routes.
On the other hand, the tower is conceived as a welcoming ‘place of healing.’ It is composed of curved surfaces in answer to the built context and marked by slender lines towards the top that relieve the masses, creating an element of exceptional clarity and recognisability. The tower becomes a landmark gifting users with the light of its facades and the lightness of its volume.

The technical plate, which is only one level above ground level, is marked by the utmost pragmatism, including its form, to ensure the functionality and flexibility of the activities housed and guarantee recognizable and brief accesses and routes.
On the other hand, the tower is conceived as a welcoming ‘place of healing.’ It is composed of curved surfaces in answer to the built context and marked by slender lines towards the top that relieve the masses, creating an element of exceptional clarity and recognisability. The tower becomes a landmark gifting users with the light of its facades and the lightness of its volume.

The slight curvature of the elevations makes it possible to differentiate the external view from the patient rooms and improves access to natural light in the central part of the façade. Another characteristic element of the envelope is the large glass surfaces at the corners of the building, where communal living rooms for the patients act as informal meeting places. In winter, these spaces serve as solar greenhouses, reducing the need for heating, while in summer, they are air-conditioned to meet the demand for comfort and thermo-hygrometric control.
Natural elements – light and greenery – integrated into the design increase the interior spaces’ quality and the users’ well-being. The solutions open visually to the green spaces in the patient rooms and the offices.

The studio has pursued an idea of sustainability closely linked to the quality of hospital space and its humanization, achieved thanks to research into the aesthetic quality of living spaces to promote healing.
The building’s cutting-edge and highly efficient plant design will help to reduce the building’s energy consumption. The new Surgical and Emergency Centre will be the first LEED Gold-certified hospital in Italy.

The studio has pursued an idea of sustainability closely linked to the quality of hospital space and its humanization, achieved thanks to research into the aesthetic quality of living spaces to promote healing.
The building’s cutting-edge and highly efficient plant design will help to reduce the building’s energy consumption. The new Surgical and Emergency Centre will be the first LEED Gold-certified hospital in Italy.