Detailed design for the construction of the Figueira e Barros Geriatric Center (Residential Structure for the Elderly)

Municipality of Avis

We are pleased to present our work in developing the Architectural Execution Project for the Residential Structure for Elderly People (ERPI) in Figueira e Barros, a fundamental initiative presented by the Municipality of Avis. This project aims to provide the parish of Figueira e Barros, in the District of Portalegre, with a modern and functional infrastructure dedicated to the well-being and care of the elderly population.

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Project Context and Needs

The project arose from the need to create a Residential Structure for Elderly People (ERPI) that is efficient and rigorously meets the technical and legal requirements for this type of functional unit. The land for the building, located in a triangular area between Rua da Boa Esperança, Rua da Boa Fé and Estrada Municipal 538, is in an Urban and Urbanizable Space (Agglomeration level III) according to the Municipal Master Plan (PDM).

The crucial need was to design a unit capable of housing a significant number of users (ideal size for economies of scale), respecting the maximum limit of 40 users per functional unit to avoid the repetition of functions. The architectural challenge lay in designing a single-story building that would adapt to the morphology of the land, respecting urban planning indices and simultaneously providing comfort, safety and privacy to the residents.

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Summary of the Project Completed

The project detailed the construction of a building with capacity for 30 users, developed on a single floor, with a constructed area of ​​1,880.55m2.

1. Configuration and Access

• Capacity: 20 rooms (10 double and 10 single), totaling 30 users.
• Spatial Organization: The single-story building takes advantage of the terrain’s slope to create an elevation and a protected, private interior space for residents’ use.
• Access: The main access (users and visitors) is on the west side, adjacent to the living room and administrative area. Service and emergency access is separate, located at the north end.
• Layout: The technical, administrative, social, kitchen, and health services areas are grouped in the main body of the building along Rua da Boa Esperança, extending the intervention area to the south with a landscaped area for sunbathing.

2. Residential Areas and Services

• Rooms: Grouped in clusters of 10, separated by a living room with a kitchenette, ensuring that staff are always at a comfortable distance from users. Individual rooms face south (outdoor area).
• Health Services: Includes a double ward, a doctor’s office set up for examination and treatment, and a geriatric bath with assistance.
• Security: The single floor plan allows for easy creation of direct emergency exits to the outside from anywhere in the building.

3. Materials and Finishes

The choice of materials followed criteria of resistance, durability, comfort, and hygiene, essential for a residential care facility for the elderly (ERPI):

• Exterior Cladding: Exposed expanded cork agglomerate on the exterior facades and ETICS (thermal insulation system) cladding on the facades facing the internal courtyard.
• Flooring: Linoleum in bedrooms and social/leisure areas (for comfort and hygiene), and safety vinyl flooring in the bathrooms of the bedrooms and changing rooms (including shower base).
• Walls: Microcement used in the reception, circulation and service areas (resistant to shocks and humidity) and sprayed stucco with washable paint in the bedrooms and offices.
• Ceilings: Fire-resistant plasterboard (waterproof in wet areas) and micro-perforated acoustic plasterboard in social areas, all with rock wool insulation.
• Roof: Accessible for people, composed of a flat concrete slab, with an inverted roof system and thermal tile cladding.

The architectural project, presented in the form of several written and drawn documents (A. 01.1 to A. 01.19), detailed the site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, opening maps, finishes, and the Accessibility Plan, ensuring a functional and welcoming solution for the elderly residents of Figueira e Barros.