ARCHITECTURE LUIS GONZÁLEZ STERLING – ARCHITECT, CO-FOUNDER OF ARGOLA ARQUITECTOS, SPAIN


Integrating advanced medical functionality


Luis González Sterling, co-founder of Argola Arquitectos, explains how the transformation of one of Spain’s largest hospitals exemplifies how contemporary healthcare architecture can integrate advanced medical functionality with sustainable design principles while maintaining operational continuity.


The Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid represents one of the most significant healthcare infrastructure transformations in contemporary Spanish architecture. Located in southern Madrid, this complex stands as one of Spain’s largest hospital facilities, encompassing a 177,000 m2


plot with exceptional


connectivity and transport links. With a total constructed area of 148,262 m2 distributed across eight distinct buildings, the hospital currently houses 1,368 beds, establishing itself as a cornerstone of Madrid’s healthcare system. Originally inaugurated in 1973, the hospital has undergone continuous evolution and adaptation throughout its operational history. This transformation reached a pivotal moment in 2003 with the development of a comprehensive Master Plan designed to modernise the entire complex through a strategic phased approach.


Masterplan development and phased implementation The transformation of Hospital 12 de Octubre follows a meticulously planned four-phase development strategy initiated in 2003.


Phase I, executed between 2003 and


2006, established the foundation with the construction of a new technical installations building spanning 8,400 m2 complemented by an exterior parking


,


facility for 420 vehicles and underground galleries designed to connect existing and future structures. Phase II, completed between 2006


and 2010, marked a significant expansion with the construction of the ambulatory activities centre (CAA), covering 91,000 m2


. This facility consolidated


outpatient consultations, radio diagnostics, day hospitals, ambulatory surgery centres, and laboratories,


Luis González Sterling


Luis González Sterling is an accomplished architect who graduated as an Architect Superior from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM) in 1973. Balancing his


academic career as a doctoral instructor with his professional work, he has served as a collaborating architect for INSALUD. In 1990, he co-founded Argola Arquitectos alongside two partners. He holds key roles as a board member of the Spanish Association of Hospital Engineering (AEIH) and the


International Federation of Hospital Engineering (IFHE) and has participated in over 60 hospital projects across more than 10 countries spanning Europe, the Americas, and Asia.


IFHE DIGEST 2026


supported by a 1,000-space underground parking facility. The building was strategically positioned on the site resulting from the demolition of former installation centres and part of the southern parking area. Phase III, the current focal point of this


architectural transformation, encompasses the new technical block and hospitalisation facility. This phase represents the most substantial component of the modernisation effort, designed as several differentiated volumes with the technical block occupying the four lower floors and hospitalisation towers positioned above. Between these two primary sections, a dedicated technical plant floor houses the building’s essential systems and installations. The development concludes with


Phase IV, which involves the strategic relocation of services from the general residence tower, enabling its subsequent demolition and the renovation of non- demolished sections of the original building.


67


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104