In Raciborz, Poland, a new center for the donation, storage, and study of blood and blood-related diseases has a unique take on what a healthcare facility should be.
Designed by FAAB Architektura, the project's aesthetic was guided by its function. The color scheme, facade panel glossiness, and the irregularly elevated leitmotif were intentionally designed to evoke the "richness" of blood, according to the architects.
The physical geometry of the building also aims to illustrate a larger concept about the facility: the clash between biology and technology. Any rounded parts of the building are meant to represent biology, and the straight sections represent technology.
"The intentional vivid color scheme of the elevation, making the building visually suprising to the public, calls attention to the idea of the blood donation," the architects said in a press release. "Application of the glazed panels is inspired by the local Silesian building tradition, which is present in the historical building facades with the glazed bricks."
Three different shades of red were used to create irregularity on the exterior of all four levels of the facility. Ceramic pipes at the top level prevent overheating in the conference room and disguise the technological systems located at the roof level.
The Regional Blood Center, phase one of this project, contains storage rooms, a blood collecting unit, advanced medical laboratories, blood radiation laboratory, offices, and a conference center. The interior design goes hand-in-hand with the exterior design, using the same red-and-white color scheme.
Most rooms are lit naturally by two belts of windows, with the lower belts lighting up laboratory worktops on the outer walls and the upper belt, located just below the filings, allows light to penetrate to the remotest part of the rooms.
The blood center project is divided into three parts: the main Regional Blood Center building, a mobile blood center located on a bus, and Poland's first center for blood cancer diagnostics. Currently, only the first phase is complete.
Photo credit: Bartlomiej Senkowski © FAAB Architektura
Related Stories
Laboratories | Sep 12, 2022
Lab space scarcity propels construction demand in life sciences sector
In its 2021 Life Sciences Real Estate Outlook, JLL predicted that access to talent would be a primary concern for an industry sector that had been growing by leaps and bounds. A year later, talent still guides real estate decisions. But market conditions of a different sort were cooling the biotech field: namely, investors that have soured on startups which underperformed after going public. What this means for new construction and renovation going forward is unpredictable, as the drivers behind life sciences’ surge are still palpable.
Architects | Sep 12, 2022
FWA Group joins national architecture, interior design, and planning firm Hord Coplan Macht
Hord Coplan Macht acquires FWA Group.
| Sep 12, 2022
Staff at New York City architecture firm is first in U.S. to unionize
Staff at New York City architecture firm is first in U.S. to unionize.
| Sep 12, 2022
San Antonio’s new courthouse aims to provide safety and security while also welcoming the public
The San Antonio Federal Courthouse, which opened earlier this year, replaces a courthouse that had been constructed as a pavilion for the 1968 World’s Fair.
Giants 400 | Sep 9, 2022
Top 20 Casino Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
JCJ Architecture, DLR Group, HBG Design, and Cuningham top the ranking of the nation's largest casino architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Sep 9, 2022
Top 120 Hospitality Sector Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
Gensler, WATG, HKS, and JCJ Architecture top the ranking of the nation's largest hospitality facilities sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue for all hospitality facilities work, including casinos, hotels, and resorts.
| Sep 9, 2022
Add sand shortage to supply chain woes
As if it wasn’t enough to have lumber, windows, doors, and metal pipe in short supply, you can add sand, which is theoretically plentiful on Earth, to the list of construction materials that can be hard to come by.
Giants 400 | Sep 8, 2022
Top 115 Hotel Sector Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
Gensler, WATG, HKS, and Stantec top the ranking of the nation's largest hotel and resort sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Senior Living Design | Sep 8, 2022
What’s new with AQ: The top trends in active adult living
Today's 55-or-better buyers are ready to design their lives and their homes as they see fit. With so much growth on tap, builders and developers must stay apprised of trends related to home, environment, and culture of 55+ communities.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Sep 8, 2022
Chicago Bears unveil preliminary master plan for suburban stadium district
As the 2022 NFL season kicks off, the league’s original franchise is fortifying plans to leave its landmark lakefront stadium for a multi-billion-dollar mixed-use stadium district in northwest suburban Arlington Heights.
