The site is near the town centre of Caniço, an area with natural landscape and residential buildings. The civic centre provides health care, social services and a nursing home.
It is a simple volume, with a clear and well-defined design. In order to adapt to the steep and rugged terrain and the various features that it accommodates, the volume was adjusted and modified accordingly. This resulted in two courtyards located at the back and a more suitable interior layout with better connection with the exterior for good natural lighting and ventilation.
The building has a total of six floors. The parking is in the two lower floors open to the outside.
Due to their various activities the three departments require treir own private entrances and access. As they are located on different floors, these were placed on different sides of the building to better adjust to the steep terrain.
The health centre occupies two floors filled with physician’s surgeries, treatment rooms, a gym, physiotherapy rooms, etc. The social services area comprises of several offices and meeting rooms and an adult day-care centre with various rooms for activities, dining room and kitchen. The nursing home has 12 single rooms and 6 double rooms, a lounge, staff rooms, a laundry room and an assisted bathroom.
The building is surrounded by a garden that goes right up to the site boundaries.
