Architectural Cases

This residential project in São Paulo, Brazil, known as the Pompéia House, exemplifies an innovative approach to modern construction. Completed in 2021 by the architectural firm 23 SUL, the 225-square-meter dwelling stands out for its use of pre-industrialized building methods. This strategic choice involved incorporating precast blocks and engineered wood, which collectively contributed to a significant reduction in the building's weight. Such a design decision proved crucial in minimizing costs associated with the foundation work, showcasing a harmonious balance between cutting-edge techniques and economic viability in contemporary residential architecture.

The Pompéia Residence, situated in the vibrant neighborhood of Pompéia in São Paulo, is a testament to forward-thinking architectural design and construction. The architects, 23 SUL, embarked on this project with a clear vision: to create a structurally sound yet lightweight building that would mitigate the complexities and expenses typically associated with foundation construction in urban environments. Their solution was to leverage advanced pre-industrialized systems, a method that involves manufacturing building components off-site for rapid assembly on-site. This not only streamlined the construction timeline but also ensured a high degree of precision and quality control.

Key to the project's success was the careful selection of materials. Precast concrete blocks were chosen for their durability, structural integrity, and consistency, allowing for faster erection and reduced labor. Complementing these were engineered wood products, which offer superior strength-to-weight ratios compared to traditional timber. The combination of these materials resulted in a robust yet significantly lighter structural frame, directly impacting the foundational requirements. By reducing the overall load, the need for extensive and costly deep foundations was diminished, providing a notable advantage in terms of both budget and environmental impact.

The design also carefully considered the integration of various building systems to maximize efficiency and aesthetic appeal. The use of pre-industrialized components meant a more organized construction process with less waste. This methodology reflects a broader trend in architecture towards sustainable practices and cost-effective solutions without compromising on design excellence or functional performance. The residence, therefore, not only serves as a comfortable living space but also as a case study in how thoughtful material selection and construction techniques can lead to innovative and practical architectural outcomes.

The Pompéia Residence by 23 SUL redefines modern housing through its intelligent application of pre-industrialized systems. This strategy, employing precast blocks and engineered wood, was instrumental in achieving a lighter structure, thereby economizing on foundation expenditures. The project illustrates how innovative material and construction choices can yield efficient, cost-effective, and aesthetically pleasing residential solutions, marking a significant advancement in sustainable architectural practices.

A collaborative team, headed by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and Park Associati, has been selected for the significant task of renovating the Spedali Civili di Brescia hospital campus in Italy. This ambitious project seeks to revitalize the existing medical complex, originally designed by engineer Angelo Bordoni in the early 20th century, by preserving its radial layout while adapting it to contemporary healthcare needs. The design introduces a novel "CareRing" structure, encircling the campus and seamlessly integrating the facilities with the surrounding urban environment, emphasizing a holistic "One Health" philosophy that interweaves human, environmental, and social well-being.

The redevelopment plan envisions a continuous circular structure, the "CareRing," stretching over a kilometer around the campus. This innovative element will serve as a multifaceted infrastructure, managing logistics, technical systems, and essential hospital services underground to ensure efficient operations. At surface level, the CareRing transforms into a vibrant public landscape, featuring interconnected squares, therapeutic gardens, and verdant pathways meticulously designed by Openfabric. These green spaces are intended to boost biodiversity, refine the local microclimate, and establish a tangible link between the hospital and the city. A central tenet of the design is to enable patients, staff, and visitors to navigate freely between the buildings and the outdoor green areas, fostering a healing environment.

The core of the initiative lies in transforming the campus into a unified public infrastructure, where the "One Health" strategy merges healthcare, academic pursuits, research, and natural landscapes into a cohesive entity. The older pavilions are earmarked for conversion into spaces dedicated to academic and research activities, thereby strengthening the ties between clinical practice, education, and the broader community. This evolution is also anticipated to enhance collaboration with the University of Brescia's Faculty of Medicine. The new facilities will centralize clinical and technological functions, offering a substantial 60,500 square meters of space and accommodating over 745 beds.

The new Main Hospital features a design structured around three interconnected wings, mirroring the radial pattern of the original complex. A transparent ground-floor lobby will open onto a new public plaza, inviting the city into the hospital environment. Inside, the principles of Healing Architecture are applied through abundant natural light, superior acoustic comfort, thoughtfully balanced proportions, and picturesque views of the Brescia Prealps. Each wing culminates in a glazed winter garden, aiming to diminish feelings of confinement, with visual access to nature being a key component of the recovery process. The reorganization of clinical services focuses on optimizing circulation, reducing travel distances, and ensuring seamless operational flow. Furthermore, the building's exterior is engineered to actively regulate climate while contributing to its distinctive architectural identity.

The Children's Hospital will comprise three cylindrical structures of varying heights, complemented by a network of terraces and internal courtyards. A grand entrance lobby, featuring a soaring atrium, is designed as a communal hub, providing protected play zones and consultation areas. Both hospital buildings will utilize a hybrid timber-and-steel construction, employing modular dry construction techniques. This approach allows for future modifications in response to medical advancements and evolving care models, while simultaneously aiming to minimize embodied carbon and accelerate construction timelines. The integration of intelligent wayfinding systems, efficient flow management, and environmental monitoring is set to streamline daily healthcare operations.

The groundbreaking for this project is scheduled for 2028. Concurrently, CRA is engaged in a similar undertaking for INOC—Istituto Nazionale Oncologico Candiolo in Turin, a cancer research and treatment center. Both endeavors champion a vision of healthcare deeply interwoven with natural environments through the "One Health" framework, transforming various spaces—from parking lots and rooftops to courtyards and entrances—into productive landscapes that promote biodiversity, harness renewable energy, and encourage informal social interactions. These projects collectively embody a larger aspiration: to create medical facilities that are more integrated with their surroundings, fostering stronger connections to nature, scientific inquiry, and the fabric of urban existence.