Designed as a calming and welcoming respite for cancer patients, Barcelona’s Kálida Sant Pau Centre alleviates the stress and uncertainty of patients with a comforting environment reminiscent of home.

Having experienced the process of support for herself when her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour, architect Benedetta Tagliabue understands the value of good architecture and its role in the process of her husband’s recovery. Believing in the mission of a supportive environment with specially-designed facilities to accommodate the needs of cancer patients, Benedetta, along with her team at the Miralles Tagliabue EMBT Studio, worked pro bono to create a welcoming building that is unprecedented among hospital facilities.

The interior design of Kálida Sant Pau, in turn, is the work of interior designer Patricia Urquiola and her team at Studio Urquiola. With the support and donations from numerous leading furniture, lighting, tile, and wood manufacturers, Kálida Sant Pau officially opened their doors in 2019 in Barcelona, at a plot conveniently located between the new hospital and a residential neighbourhood.

*The welcoming architecture designed pro bono. by Benedetta Tagliabue and her team at Miralles Tagliabue EMBT Studio.*

As a space designed to build confidence and a sense of security in the people living within, architect Benedetta Tagliabue believed the setting must transcend the qualities of comfort, intimacy, relaxation, and more importantly, a sense of home. High ceilings and large glazing allow natural light to flood in during the day, a proven remedy to alleviate stress and anxiety. Plenty of communal spaces to sit and relax encourages spontaneous interactions and socialization, bringing together patients, staff and family members to share their stories.

Qualified professionals including psychologists, nurses, social workers, and therapists are stationed nearby to provide emotional, practical, and social support to patients free of charge. The centre also has an appointment-free drop-in program that encourages family members and guests to drop by for visits anytime without prior appointment or referral — an experience commonly practiced in cancer care charity, Maggie’s organization, whose global network Kálida belongs to.

Kalida Sant Pau Barcelona Tagliabue EMBT featured by Pendulum Magazine

*Intricate hexagonal openings on the facade provide ventilation while maintaining privacy.*

The entire project has been inspired by the original hospital complex which is diverse in its use of materials, textures, colours, geometries and indoor/outdoor greeneries. Using the same design principles, the architecture team was able to bring an updated rendition that retains the DNA of the original Domènech i Montaner’s architecture. From the lovely new gardens, the intricately-patterned brick façade to the roof design, everything echos the classical charm of the original structure.

The unique building façade is composed of a brick wall with glazed ceramic insertions. Strategically positioned hexagon openings allow light to filter in, providing ventilation to the interior while maintaining privacy. The design team took reference from the Modernist buildings within its vicinity which exhibit diverse geometric shapes and hues. From afar, the patterns on the wall form a unique visual of intricate latticework, drawing the attention of passersby to the mysterious architecture.

On another section of the building façade, beautiful, thermally treated tulipwood donated by the American Hardwood Harwood Export Council (AHEC) is an integral part of the external structure. The wood paneling plays an important role in maintaining privacy, while at the same time, positioned to allow natural light to filter through between the panels. The paneling design was also integrated into a part of the exterior gazebo and building canopy, making it a cohesive transition to the outdoor extension of the property. Patio furniture is primarily the contribution of Point, whose comfortable tables and chairs complete the garden extension where patients can enjoy a serene outdoor setting for fresh air.

The Kálida complex includes a building with 400 m2 of space and a wide garden within the general green area of the building complex. The idea is to have an ever-changing floral garden within the garden of the original hospital, so the Kálida centre is designed as a garden pavilion that is meant to blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors. Much like a sheltered part of the garden, the interior space offers privacy, retreat, and protection while providing a view of the lush outdoor fauna to residents within.

The 650 m2 outdoor garden also connects to the Hospital Oncology Unit through its main entrance, making it extremely accessible for patients to travel to and from their treatments. A landscaped yard surrounded by greenery shields the large hospital structure in the background, relieving tension and stress the patients may associate with their hospital visits.

“Kálida Sant Pau is a space where people can uncover strengths that they didn’t realize they had in order to maximize their own ability to tackle the situation”

— Benedetta Tagliabue, Architect of Kálida Sant Pau

*Light-filled interior spaces serve to sooth patients’ stresses.*

The Kálida Centre is comprised of two floors. The ground floor is conceived as a sequence of flexible spaces and opens to a garden protected by walls, pergolas, and vegetation. The versatile design allows for a variation of activities. The ground floor also holds the kitchen, a hall, a high ceiling dining room that can seat up to ten people, a library, a multipurpose room, and the building’s main entrance.

The kitchen acts as the heart of the space, facing south towards the Modernist hospital buildings. Sliding doors in the living area opens to the outdoor garden, transitioning the indoors to outdoor living in the beautiful Mediterranean weather. On the second level, individual rooms are designed to lay around the double-height dining room where patients can easily look down and observe the various activities happening on the ground level.

*Living area opens to the outdoor garden.*

“We have worked on the hexagonality of the plant, which already suggested a subdivision of spaces for different tasks. From there, we have visualized functional environments and open configurations that originate a heterogeneous but operational environment, where different levels of intimacy can occur””

— Patricia Urquiola, Interior Designer of Kálida Sant Pau

The premise of the design is to make the various spaces in the centre flexible and adaptable for the patients to freely participate in diverse activities on site. As for the interior choices, designer Patricia Urquiola says that her focus is to create a warm and friendly environment with the use of soft colours and materials. To add warmth and a sense of homeyness, warm-coloured materials such as wood and ceramics are predominantly used throughout the space. The furniture selection was also thoughtfully made, making sure to introduce a more chromatic setting that can transmit a dynamic and positive feeling.

Project Contributors

With the help of interior designer Patricia Urquiola, many renowned brands from around the globe made contributions to Kálida in the form of donations.

Prestigious Italian firm Listone Giordano, a world leader in parquet flooring, has joined Kálida Sant Pau with the donation of Biscuit, an oak wood flooring that will be used on the first floor. In the same way, the extraordinary ceramic tiles of Mutina, form the “carpet” on which the table of the dining room will sit, as well as the main wall of the staircase.

Andreu World contributed to the seating furniture throughout the space: different sofas have been placed to provide comfort to people during group activities as well as sets of lounge chairs and tables for individual counseling sessions and workshops. In addition, they have donated chairs that surround the dining table. Viccarbe has provided the tables for the office of the centre, as well as chairs and other complementary elements.

Moroso has donated a sofa for the group activities room on the first floor and different tables and chairs that will be very useful for the professional staff to establish intimate conversations in the different areas of the space. Gan has supported the project with a set of more informal sofas for one of the group rooms, as well as complementary carpets to create a cozy and comforting space.

Kettal contributed to both the interior and exterior spaces with armchairs, chairs, and tables, allowing patients and guests to relax both within the centre and in the garden.

Other supports include the contribution of Flos, whose wall lamps, lamps, and other luminaires are the main base of the centre’s lighting. Marset and Santa & Cole also provided lamps that act as decorative elements, adding personality to the centre.

Roca joined by donating toilets, bathroom accessories, and tiles, while Teixidors and Kvadrat have contributed with textile pieces to make cushions and tablecloths, adding to the long list of firms that have given their products towards a collective and a special project.

In addition to the brands that have been involved through Patricia Urquiola, other important companies including Bover Barcelona Lights have collaborated in lighting. The kitchen, the centre’s meeting point, has been configured in part using modules and appliances donated by Bulthaup. Cutlery in the kitchen was donated by Casa Gay.

*Numerous world-renowned brands came together to donate to the centre.*

It is because of the selfless support and contribution of many individuals, foundations, businesses and professionals that made the Kálida centre what it is today. For cancer patients, the beautiful complex not only brings a team of supporting professionals right to their door but also provides a retreat-like dwelling that will offer solace during a difficult time in their life.

To make a contribution to the project, visit here.