The Carcavelos Health Complex, near Lisbon, Portugal, has been transformed into a vibrant community space, centered around a lush public garden. Designed by local architecture firms Simão Botlelho, Studio-J, and Duoma, the complex integrates four distinct health services within a unified structure, offering a unique blend of healthcare and community engagement. 

The project, which originated from a public architecture competition in 2018, is situated on a sloping site bordered by residential buildings and a main road. To address these challenges, the architects conceived an orthogonal concrete structure that serves as both a sound barrier and a privacy shield for the central garden, which forms the heart of the complex. 

This garden is more than just an aesthetic feature—it includes a café, a children’s playground, community vegetable gardens, and covered areas for outdoor meetings and events. These spaces are designed for use by both the building’s occupants and the general public, fostering a strong connection between the health center and the surrounding community. 

“We used the building briefing as an excuse to give back to the local inhabitants and the city a qualified piece of man-made nature that can inspire the building’s users,” the design team shared. The garden also serves a therapeutic role, with doctors able to utilize it for social prescribing, linking health services with community resources to promote overall well-being. 

The complex’s layout includes the Family Health Unit and Shared Resources Unit on the ground floor, with Psychiatry Services on the first floor and the Drug Addiction Treatment Team on a lower level where the site slopes downward. A central corridor connects these services, allowing for easy access and future adaptability. 

The Carcavelos Health Complex is a testament to the integration of architecture, nature, and healthcare, offering a model for how public spaces can enhance community well-being. 

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