Thesanatorium in Bircza, drawing on the natural resources of the Przemysl Foothills, is a project by Edyta Wysocka of Rzeszow University of Technology. The author, paying attention to the problems of modern society, proposed a place where users can regenerate both physically and mentally.
Edyta Wysocka's project is an engineering thesis carried out under the supervision of Professor Marek Gosztyła. Her goal was to create a sanatorium in Bircza - a place where users can regenerate both physically and mentally. This is to be helped by the numerous available treatments in the field of balneology, rehabilitation and recreation with the use of natural goods found in the Bircza area. The author has attempted to combine natural goods, i.e. sun, water and greenery, with architecture and the needs of overworked people. The result is a complex of buildings forming a sanatorium.
Green roofs and terraces are an important element of the project
© Edyta Wysocka
The realization and selection of the theme resulted from the observation of needs, the problem of the aging of society and the desire to raise the mental and physical condition of people. Due to material conditions, Poles are forced to undertake hard and long hours of often physical labor. Poles are most often affected by health problems caused by physical exertion, but also by the pressure of society, which contributes to mental problems. Due to fatigue and overwork, there are also problems with recovery, the need for accelerated rest, coping with stress, professional burnout or depression, explains a student at Rzeszow University of Technology.
subcarpathian sanatorium
The young architect chose Bircza - a small municipality with a population of less than 7,000, located in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, in the Przemyskie Foothills - as the site for the project. Its areas are characterized by natural richness: beautiful landscape, fresh air, geothermal waters, creating an ideal place for a sanatorium. During the design work, the author also paid attention to the needs of patients, resulting in a space that is functional and friendly to all.
The sanatorium facility consists of two segments connected by communication
© Edyta Wysocka
Sanatoriums are identified with austere, sexless and sometimes hospital-like interiors, but in this project my goal was to create a friendly and warm space, with facilities for the disabled. I took into account such needs as maintaining privacy, so I kept the living area similar in size and conditions to the home. The service part, on the other hand, is characterized by open spaces and numerous glazings," explains the designer.
The facade of the building has an industrial character
© Edyta Wysocka
building hidden in the terrain
The sanatorium building consists of two parts connected by communication. The author proposed a five-story building consisting of one above-ground storey and three below-ground storeys. The functional-spatial plan includes: the main hall, administration, space for services, a cafeteria with a reading room, underground parking, a rehabilitation area and for balneological treatments, as well as an indoor and outdoor swimming pool. The architect also included a library, a small clinic, a residential area, a restaurant, a club area and the technical part of the facility. The second segment is a hotel building with small services, including a store and hair salon.
The sanatorium is a five-story building, most of which is underground
© Edyta Wysocka
The sanatorium'sfacade, which is kept in colors of white, gray and beige, creates a contrast with the building's interior. The materials used by the student give it an industrial character, and the inscription in the slope of the plot, gives the impression that the building grows out of the ground. Vegetation is also an important element, introducing harmony. The author decided to sink part of the building into the plot's terrain, without access to natural light.
Such shaping of the ground in the project is an asset. The recess affects thermal insulation properties, and the ability to close walls and roofs, creates and facilitates communication to the outside of the building. Users have direct access to each floor containing other functions," justifies the design decision of the student.
Park and pedestrian routes on the sanatorium grounds
© Edyta Wysocka
Despite the fact that the sanatorium is expansive and occupies a sizable usable area, it does not stand out against the backdrop of Bircza, and this is due to the fact that the height is maintained in the context of the entire development of the village. Green roofs and terraces are an important element, inscribing the building into its surroundings. Small terraces are elements of private rooms, while large ones belong to common areas. Importantly for the sanatorium, the student also proposed connecting to the park, pedestrian routes located on the northern part of the plot. For this purpose, she used the existing greenery, creating an outdoor recreation area.
