Moreira de Cónegos Health Centre (Portugal)
Thoughtful design and accessible architecture add value to community healthcare
| Project type | Healthcare |
| Location | Moreira de Cónegos, Portugal |
| Architect | StudioCAN |
| Roca Products | Debba wall-hung ceramic basins, Victoria wall-hung Roca Rimless® toilet, Spun ceramic urinal with cover |
| Year | 2025 |
A star-shaped medical centre in Guimarães, Portugal, designed by StudioCAN, shows how accessibility and radical design can work together for the benefit of the community. Roca provided public and private bathroom solutions that complemented the centre’s functionality and further enhanced its singular design.
An intuitive design that benefits patients and health care workers
For its design of a new medical centre, StudioCAN flipped the script on traditional medical services architecture, designing a single-level, six-point star-shaped building that pays homage to the star of life symbol of emergency care services. The design is an exceptional example of accessible architecture, one grounded in clarity and function. Each of the 6-points or ‘wings’ of the health centre has its own defined purpose, with the central core of the building serving as the main reception area.
Roca contributed important bathroom products, including toilets, urinals, and ceramic basins that reinforced an environment of comfort and accessibility. The intuitive flow of the building’s design, including the bathroom spaces, brings a sense of security and ease felt by patients and health-care workers alike.
Roca’s bathroom solutions enhance personal well-being and accessibility
Consideration for personal well-being extends beyond the walls of the medical centre, and into the surrounding landscape. StudioCAN designed the facility to include extensive green spaces for patients as well as the local community.
For patients and employees, windows that look out onto the landscape offer a moment of calm during the day, while exterior landscaped areas provide walking paths and benches. The bathrooms can also serve as tranquil spaces for a moment alone, and the Roca products reflect the palliative qualities of the architecture.
The white ceramic toilets and basins blend harmoniously with the muted off-white bathroom walls, creating a zen-like monochrome space. The rounded, curving forms of the ceramic wall-hung Victoria toilet with Roca Rimless®, and the individual Debba ceramic basins adds a touch of softness, while also being ideal for providing comfort and reliability in the bathroom space. The Spun urinals, with cover, are designed to integrate naturally within the bathroom, discreetly serving their purpose and being practical for all users.
Like the architecture itself, Roca’s bathroom solutions for the Moreira de Cónegos Health Centre show how great design can be understated and functional, and remain dedicated to its purpose of providing a better experience for its users.
Images: Ivo Tavares Studio
