The Catalan architects of the BAAS Arquitectura i Espinet / Ubach will be in charge of designing the new research building of Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron Hospital Campus and to project the first proposal of urban and landscape improvement, and reorganization of the site. Their design has been chosen among five proposals by an international jury, which highlighted their integration to the new campus and its combination of classic and peaceful image, without sacrificing size. At the same time, it is defended that their proposed reform of the Campus opens it to neighboring districts, eliminates the internal traffic of vehicles and resolves the internal mobility with a vertical axis of escalators that connect with Collserola. The name of the winner was announced this morning at a press conference at the College of architects of Catalonia (COAC), with the participation of the Minister of health, Antoni Comín, the Manager of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Dr. Vicenç Martínez Ibáñez, the director of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Dr. Joan X. Comella, and the Dean of COAC, Lluís Comerón. The contest, which began with the publication of the announcement in November last year, was looking for a classic design, serious and trustworthy, with a post-stressed concrete structure that allows large spans and flexibility of spaces of relationship between professionals and sites the laboratories in central areas. At the same time, the project is to create a single track of traffic on the Campus, to allow quick access from the beltways to the various buildings. A Mediterranean-style building, which transmit the values of innovation and excellence, improve the integration and communication between the researchers and the young talent willing to work. A project that will become the engine of change for a new Vall d'Hebron Campus, more enjoyable, more accessible and healthy, open to the environment and the residents. In this regard, the Minister of health, Antoni Comín, explained that "we were aware that it was essential to give dignity to the spaces where they do research in Vall d'Hebron," valuing the importance of this research to society, as "the engine of the health system in Catalonia". The Minister stressed that the winning project opens the space for researchers, students, who will become the future researchers and neighbors. And said that "this project symbolizes that our health system has already passed the worst, the storm is abating, the ship sails with the wind." As well, the Manager of the Vall d'Hebron Dr. Vicente Martínez Ibáñez, held "that today is a historic day, full of optimism and gratitude". "It's a historic day for the excellence of Vall d'Hebron to be completed, professional talent must accompany a structure of the same level," he stated. A few words shared by the director of VHIR, Dr. Joan X. Comella, who explained that "the process that culminates today began twenty years ago" to solve one of the problems of Vall d'Hebron, "to put the space at the height of its professionals". The Dean of COAC, Lluís Comerón has coincided with them and stressed that "the COAC celebrates the exemplarity of the contest" that "demonstrates a great awareness of the value of the architectural quality to transform the city and the Hospital". All the candidates, according to Comerón "would have been a great solution", but the winner "is a wonderful proposal for the research building, and also a line of very lucid action to organize the Campus and connect it with the city." New research building The winning project is a building that seeks to melt into the surroundings by means of a Mediterranean and sustainable architecture. This is a proposal for a single façade, situated between the present building of the UAB in the Vall d'Hebron Campus and the Hospital of Traumatology and Rehabilitation, on the site of the former laundry of the hospital. The plant is defined by three courtyards, one of which is open to the exterior, and continuous terraces. As highlights Jordi Badia, director of the arquitecture study BAAS, "the work spaces are built around these courtyards and a large terrace on the perimeter that creates outdoor spaces of encounter between the researchers and protects the building from the sun". The entrance to the building will be done through a great hall with a glass roof, through which access to the first of the courtyards and in to the Auditorium. The scheme of distribution of the space is open, allowing changes to adapt to future needs. The roof of the building will occupy a garden, extension of the surrounding park, which will function as a place of rest and cover to reduce energy consumption. In this sense, the project is designed to promote energy efficiency. The project has been designed in a modular form. In this way, the first phase (parking, basement VHIR building and ERDF building) will be able to build independently. The construction of its approximately 5,000 m2, can be extended in two phases, and will have to be completed before the end of 2020. In the next September should be available the preliminary and detailed design, and in January 2018 the construction project. The start of the works is scheduled for the first semester of next year. The budget is 15 million euros, financed in part with ERDF funds of the European Union. The reform proposal of the Campus The reform of the Vall d'Hebron Campus proposed by BAAS Arquitectura and Espinet/Ubach attempt to integrate it and open it to neighboring districts, eliminating the circulation of vehicles on the site. In addition to the construction of the new research building, includes a new reception building, intended for civic uses, where could placed shops, offices and an auditorium. At this point it is proposed a new access to the underground. Finally, the important aspect is the construction of a vertical axis of escalators from the Ronda de Dalt to Collserola. "A major spine of the entire campus containing all of the up and down movements in the enclosure", according to Jordi Badia. This axis will be conected with a few flat walks the building with its surroundings. All this within a large park generated thanks to the elimination of most of the current buildings to highlight the three main buildings. Miquel Espinet, co-founder of the Studio Espinet/Ubach, states that it is needed "to rethink a long-term strategy to address the problems of accessibility and of image and thus achieve building a large urban park that lives with the hospital buildings in a pleasant environment and friendly with the people."