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
Cultural Facilities | Mar 27, 2024
Kansas City’s new Sobela Ocean Aquarium home to nearly 8,000 animals in 34 habitats
Kansas City’s new Sobela Ocean Aquarium is a world-class facility home to nearly 8,000 animals in 34 habitats ranging from small tanks to a giant 400,000-gallon shark tank.
Market Data | Mar 26, 2024
Architecture firm billings see modest easing in February
Architecture firm billings continued to decline in February, with an AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score of 49.5 for the month. However, February’s score marks the most modest easing in billings since July 2023 and suggests that the recent slowdown may be receding.
Cultural Facilities | Mar 26, 2024
Renovation restores century-old Brooklyn Paramount Theater to its original use
The renovation of the iconic Brooklyn Paramount Theater restored the building to its original purpose as a movie theater and music performance venue. Long Island University had acquired the venue in the 1960s and repurposed it as the school’s basketball court.
Adaptive Reuse | Mar 26, 2024
Adaptive Reuse Scorecard released to help developers assess project viability
Lamar Johnson Collaborative announced the debut of the firm’s Adaptive Reuse Scorecard, a proprietary methodology to quickly analyze the viability of converting buildings to other uses.
Security and Life Safety | Mar 26, 2024
Safeguarding our schools: Strategies to protect students and keep campuses safe
HMC Architects' PreK-12 Principal in Charge, Sherry Sajadpour, shares insights from school security experts and advisors on PreK-12 design strategies.
Green | Mar 25, 2024
Zero-carbon multifamily development designed for transactive energy
Living EmPower House, which is set to be the first zero-carbon, replicable, and equitable multifamily development designed for transactive energy, recently was awarded a $9 million Next EPIC Grant Construction Loan from the State of California.
Museums | Mar 25, 2024
Chrysler Museum of Art’s newly expanded Perry Glass Studio will display the art of glassmaking
In Norfolk, Va., the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Perry Glass Studio, an educational facility for glassmaking, will open a new addition in May. That will be followed by a renovation of the existing building scheduled for completion in December.
Sustainability | Mar 21, 2024
World’s first TRUE-certified building project completed in California
GENESIS Marina, an expansive laboratory and office campus in Brisbane, Calif., is the world’s first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE)-certified construction endeavor. The certification recognizes projects that achieve outstanding levels of resource efficiency through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices.
Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024
Corporate carbon reduction pledges will have big impact on office market
Corporate carbon reduction commitments will have a significant impact on office leasing over the next few years. Businesses that have pledged to reduce their organization’s impact on climate change must ensure their next lease allows them to show material progress on their goals, according to a report by JLL.
