Project Description
When the American Red Cross shuttered its blood donation operations in Puerto Rico in 2013, there was a vacuum left open in the medical services community, and the entire area dependent on the outside blood banks for the life-saving blood supply. The Mutual Services Blood Bank entered to fill that void. In 2014, Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón (AD&V) were commissioned to develop a new 30,000 square foot medical facility and work place with the highest standards of hygiene that were also easy to maintain, designed to reflect the organization’s long-term commitment to Puerto Rico and its people. The design team at AD&V sought to craft a new brand image that was free from many of the darker, more negative connotations that had characterized such facilities in the past. Taking a cue from the hospitality industry, the firm recommended a look and feel that resembled and felt like a spa: clean, contemporary, and uplifting— the exact opposite of the typical blood bank.
At the center of the design is the iconic heart symbol, slightly offset to the left, in keeping with both actual human physiology and the dynamic intention of the design. The intention was to put the business of blood donation into a warmer, more playful and relaxing, non-threatening context while also sending a heartfelt message of gratitude to those thousands of local donors who ‘give of themselves’ to save the lives of others. Inside, the Blood Bank comprises a reception, comfortable waiting area, private interview spaces, donation area, advanced medical laboratory, storage rooms, maternity room, training room, conference room, library, conference room, and offices.
As in all AD&V work, sustainability plays a major part in the building’s design and daily operations. The architecture team chose to remodel an existing building to avoid impacting a greenfield, rather than building a new structure. Recycled content materials, no VOC paints, coatings, and primers, environmentally-preferable flooring, and other sustainable materials were used in the remodel. Low water use plumbing fixtures, energy efficient HVAC, and other energy conserving systems were implemented throughout the building, enabling it to function efficiently in its daily operations and lower maintenance costs long-term.
The largest blood bank on the island, Mutual Services Blood Bank now serves 28 hospitals. Because of its new, state-of-the-art facilities, the bank’s lifesaving operations were not interrupted or shut down amidst the Zika virus scare on the island.