The Government of the Generalitat of Catalonia opts for digital tools and industrialized construction to face the health crisis provoked by Covid-19

The crisis created by the pandemic of Covid-19 continues to devastate the national and global panorama in many aspects. One of the most affected sectors and which, without a doubt, is essential for overcoming this problem is health. For this reason, in Catalonia, a project has been implemented that involves the construction of 5 hospital complexes annexed to the referral hospitals of the autonomous region. These are: Bellvitge (L’Hospitalet de Llobregat), Germans Tries i Pujol (Badalona), Pere Virgili (Barcelona), Moisès Broggi (San Joan Despí) and Arnau de Vilanova (Lleida).

The challenge itself comes from the health emergency, creating the need for the construction of these complexes to be carried out in a period of time of twenty weeks, which is totally impossible if we were to adhere to current construction processes. The complexity and magnitude of the project have caused all the agents involved to adapt to a new procedure, which involves the BIM methodology, industrialized construction system and collaborative work. These new processes and methodologies allow the vision and design of the building in three dimensions, being able to foresee failures and creating a synergy between the different professionals who collaborate in the project, allowing them to adapt to health needs. This means not only a reduction in production and construction, but also a decrease in costs. CatSalut is responsible for the investment, but the project includes thirty companies and temporary enterprise unions.

An interesting data from the architectural point of view is that these building will be convertible; meaning, they can be used for other purposes. Currently, they will be used to fight coronavirus, but after the crisis, they can be used for care support for the hospitals. However, they will always be a strategic resource that can be activated in less than 48 hours in the case of outbreaks or pandemics.

If anything has characterized this crisis, it has been the growth and commitment to digital resources and new technologies, which have allowed us to make giant steps. This reinforces the idea that desperate times call for desperate measures, and that these can make us stronger.