Istituto Clinico Catanese

The hospital facility is set within a rural landscape characterized by gentle rolling hills planted with centuries-old olive trees. It serves as a regional reference center for oncological, neurosurgical, and orthopedic care, as well as a center of excellence for postgraduate specialist medical training.

The building comprises two regular volumes arranged side by side, articulated by carefully proportioned projecting elements. These volumes, dedicated to inpatient wards, are complemented by a lower block connected to one of the two main four-level structures, designed to accommodate public functions and related services.

The two guiding principles of the overall design approach can be summarized as a focus on the “humanization of healthcare environments” and the pursuit of a strong “continuity between interior and exterior.”

Particular attention was therefore devoted to the landscape design of the entire architectural complex, with new olive tree plantings and flowerbeds composed of Mediterranean shrubs. This carefully conceived green system extends into the building itself in the form of a boulevard punctuated by courtyards conceived as “restorative oasis where patients, doctors, and staff can relieve stress and enjoy a break in the café garden or in the outdoor extensions of the waiting areas.”

These latter spaces are integrated within the building, forming valuable open-air environments. The overall site layout thus merges with the surrounding landscape, extending into adjacent areas and being deliberately drawn into the interior spaces and even onto part of the roof of the lower block. In all areas, natural light is employed as a key design element, both to ensure a high level of comfort for patients and staff and to achieve significant energy savings.