In the proposal for the renovation of the Old Hospital of San Sebastián by osé María Sánchez García, the ground floor is conceived as a large urban interchange, in which the main spaces are the patios around which the premises are arranged to facilitate their use, a dynamic fabric from which gourmet market spaces and multipurpose spaces are proposed to emerge.
The project, in addition to updating, is very respectful of its history and configuration, maintains the pre-existing materials, or recovers them with similar techniques and adds glass and wooden frames to the gaps in the patio. The roof over the patio, with a simple structure that recalls the folding of the awnings, is a new addition proposed by Sánchez García that allows light to pass through, bathing the white interior of the entire space.
Recovery of the Old Hospital of San Sebastián by José María Sánchez García. Photograph by Roland Halbe.
Description of project by José María Sánchez García
A building as a city
Our proposal is based on the understanding of the old Hospital building as an urban space which is able to hold the city’s activity inside. All relevant heritage elements and spaces are reclaimed fo this purpose. The intervention allows the Hospital of San Sebastian to adapt itself to the needs of a contemporary public building, whilst preserving all those elements of historical value that characterize the refurbished construction.
The original facades and volumes are preserved entirely. In the interior areas, the existing volumes of the vaulted rooms are recovered; unnecesary compartments are avoided and all suspended ceilings are removed. The Ground Floor is conceived as a large urban interchange hub, a space returned to the city. The rectangular premises, which are set around the courtyards, allow ease of use, generating a dynamic fabric in which both gourmet market uses and multi-purpose spaces emerge.
