Alzheimer Investigation Centre Inauguration

Esperanza Aguirre.



The Alzheimer Project, pioneering welfare complex in Spain, was conceived by The Queen Sofia Foundation and tried to create a specialized social and health centre for Alzheimer illness. This centre will be used to fight against this sickness facing and mitigating sequels it causes both patients and people who are around them.

The Queen Sofia Foundation was able to materialize the building which will lodge this welfare complex thanks to the fact that the Madrid City Council transferred a 18.500 sqm plot placed in Vallecas and thanks to the interest and willpower of several associations and individuals.

This Centre will have a residence for 156 Alzheimer patients, a Day Centre for 40 patients, an investigation centre and a training centre about Alzheimer for heath employees, relatives and volunteers.

In the Alzheimer Project, apart from the Public Administration, several organizations, companies and individuals have collaborated with a financial and professional contribution. LAMELA Architect Office is an example of that. Winner of the 1st award in the design contest which was organized by the Alzheimer Project Centre, they offered their services for free.



The design of this building, horizontally disposition, tried to find a flexible and modular utility which allows spaces adaptation on the basis of necessities everywhere.

The selected raw materials for this Project were: zinc, prefabricated and glass, which complied perfectly with all requirements about thermic isolation, safety and natural light exploitation.

The Alzheimer Centre is considered as a bioclimatic building because, thanks to the projected natural ventilation, ecologic roofs and solar panels use, energy consumption for air conditioning is reduced. This high energy efficiency allows to diminish atmospheric pollution and to decrease the greenhouse effect.

Vitro Cristalglass was selected for the supply of about 2,600 sqm of glass for façades. Antonio Lamela’s architecture office requirements implied the election of certain glazing compositions. Talking about insulating glazing units safety (MULTIPACT®) and tempered glass (TEMPRADO®) were combined with low-e glass (NEUTRALUX® -S). Solar control panes (SOLARLUX® Supernatural 52/25) were installed too together with laminated glass with grey PVB.