This hospital serves as an anchor point within the city’s spatial, ecological and social network. Put simply: the women and children who visit, nature, climate and the city itself inspired the design.
It shows how tropical architecture can transform climate into an asset. Through shade, greenery and natural ventilation, the hospital becomes a humane and contextual building—one that connects care, city and landscape. Bucaramanga is structured by a typical Latin American grid and characterised by strong north–south and east–west connections. The site of UIMIST is strategically located in the northern part of the city, along an important urban axis that links natural landscapes with sports and public facilities.
Green corridors as urban structure
The project aligns with the city’s ambitions to expand and connect green corridors in Bucaramanga. Rather than isolated pockets of greenery, the design promotes continuity and substance. The adjacent east-west road is being transformed into a green corridor that reduces heat stress, provides shade and improves comfort for pedestrians – because just imagine if the pregnant women visiting the hospital had to walk here in the blazing sun. With large trees lining all access routes, the hospital becomes an anchor point within the city’s ecological and social network.
“Tropical architecture is about celebrating shadow!”
Chris Zwiers (architect)
Between public and private
An analysis of the urban fabric revealed a scarcity of gradual transitions between public and private space. Many blocks are enclosed and disconnected from street life. The most vital urban spaces, however, are those in between—where interaction, encounter and visibility occur. For UIMIST, the ground floor is therefore conceived as an extension of the public realm, creating permeability and embedding the hospital in everyday urban life.
A civic presence
The hospital has a strong civic role. The architectural challenge was to create a building that offers comfort and orientation while clearly marking its position within the city. In a largely amorphous context, a simple geometric volume establishes clarity and identity. As the form gradually reveals itself, it stimulates curiosity and engagement.
Nature as part of the healing environment
From street level, greenery is drawn into the building and continues upward to the roof. After entering the complex, visitors arrive at an elevated level with a park-like atmosphere defined by lush planting, organic forms and natural materials. Waiting areas on all floors are connected to the green buffer of the façade and enriched with planting, reinforcing the concept of healing gardens and sensory comfort.
Flexible by design
The hospital is based on a flexible spatial system. A generalist structural grid with a double-corridor layout allows for long-term adaptability. This setup maximises daylight along the perimeter while enabling functions with lower daylight requirements in the centre. As healthcare programmes evolve, the building can easily adjust – for example by shifting between inpatient rooms and polyclinics.
Bioclimatic façade and ventilation
The climatic conditions of Bucaramanga informed a bioclimatic design approach. A double façade reduces solar gain while allowing ample daylight. The perforated outer skin is inspired by pre-Columbian Guane art and Mayan architecture, with patterns that become denser at higher levels to provide increased privacy. Thanks to the stable tropical climate and the north–south orientation of the corridors, effective cross-ventilation is achieved. Combined with greenery and façade shading, indoor comfort can be maintained without mechanical cooling.
‘Bucaramanga’ was our proud entry for the UIMIST design competition; the design principles were widely adopted in subsequent projects at our firm.
PROJECT DATA
Client:
The Architects Association
of Municipality of Santander in Colombia
Program:
approx. 11.161 m2
incl. 4.380 m2 parking
Status:
Designed in 2019
In collaboration with:
John Drissen Arqitectos
Team:
Amanda Bryant, Ignacio Garcia Ballester,
Alexis Ierides, Lyongo Juliana,
Jorn van Popta, Cristina de Talavera Gawronska,
Liwen Zhang, Chris Zwiers,
