La Nostra Famiglia in Bosisio Parini

date: 1998 – 2002
client: Colombo Costruzioni spa (General Contractor)
object: Association “La Nostra Famiglia”, Bosisio
Parini, (Lc). New hall of the hospitalisation and treatment Institute “E. Medea”. 7th Hall
size data:
Surface 29,904 sq. m.
Volumetry 96,927 c. m.
Beds No. 110
project stage: Feasibility, preliminary, definitive,
executive project. Art direction

The building is situated in the area of the admissions and scientific care institute complex “E. Medea” in Bosisio Parini. It is a complex of already existing and operational pavilions of the association “La Nostra Famiglia” where paediatric patients suffering from neuron-motor handicaps have been helped, educated and followed for many years.
The present structure is of one basement floor and three floors above ground. The basement level is where all the services for the hospital pavilions are located (car park, systems central, deposits and storage, pharmacies and staff changing rooms). Also the operating block and the morgue are situated on the basement level, which have connections out of public sight.
The ground floor contains the most public functions: the large welcoming hall, the refreshment and kitchen area, the diagnostic area, the outpatients’ department, cardiology, the chapel and the wards. On the first floor the wards and the physiotherapy department are linked, whereas on the second floor the research and analysis labs can be found.

The study of the building’s prospects is in particular aimed at the ward areas, keeping as a starting point the design choice of focusing on the patient. The façade of the wards is therefore created in such a way as to allow the small patients to always be able to see outside, either from their bed, wheelchair or standing up.
The choice of window and door frames of full height is accompanied by a system of brise-soleil that protects against direct solar radiation yet however maintains transparency and therefore the possibility to look out. Such a partial screen system is proposed also for the deviation of solar rays in the cold months and/or in the hours with less sun, achieving a free contribution of energy profitably used as a means to limit costs. The design of an efficient cover, with correct regulation the solar radiation, from the glass and from the “skin”, has enabled a considerable lowering of energy consumption and atmospheric emissions.
The presence of brise-soleil produces the effect of lowering the energy load radiating on the façade (infrared) without however losing in winter the advantageous contribution due to the ultraviolet rays that can penetrate. Prototyping is always necessary to check the design-realisation correspondence with specific requirements. The building detail is a functional and aesthetic “value” of the job. Particular attention is given to the environmental quality, the main benefits being highlighted through the reduction of energy consumption and resources and the improvement of well-being for the users. The objective of the involvement is the realisation of an area on a child’s size. The paediatric hospital ward needs areas to be both welcoming and cheerful that can best make small patients accept the distance from home and their everyday life. The coordinated image of the ward area has a corresponding colour for each level.