Cecosesola – Integral Cooperative Health Center

Cecosesola – Integral Cooperative Health Center

The Integral Cooperative Health Center (CICS) is the result of the collective vision of CECOSESOLA’s Integration Movement, developed as part of the expansion of its healthcare programs in Barquisimeto, Lara State, Venezuela. Responding to the growing demand for medical services, the project was conceived as a comprehensive facility capable of bringing together all of the organization’s health-related services within a single building.

Beyond its role as a medical and assistance center, the project was envisioned as a more open and community-oriented institution, incorporating spaces dedicated not only to healthcare, but also to recreation, education, training, and preventive health awareness. The building was designed to meet functional requirements, legal standards, and the expectations of the surrounding community, while offering a more human-centered experience.

Users can engage with the building through a variety of activities, including recreational areas, community meetings, and cultural events, helping to challenge the conventional perception of healthcare infrastructure and transforming it into a more welcoming and socially integrated environment.

The project also includes spaces specifically designed for alternative medicine services, offering users the possibility to choose between different approaches to healthcare. These areas include acupuncture, massage therapy, and other complementary treatments.

Architecturally, the building seeks to provide a clear overall reading while expressing the specific identity of each of its parts. It is conceived as a more enclosed volume on the facades most exposed to solar radiation — east, west, and south — while opening toward the north through the intersection of two volumes that shape its spatial organization.

Credits
Client: CECOSESOLA
Site Area: 2,000 m²
Built Area: 3,456 m²
Architectural Concept and Preliminary Design: Arq. Fernando Perez Kaparunakis, Arq. Jose Antonio Salas, Arq. Jovan Maslach, Arq. Simon Sosa
Project: 2003
Construction: 2006–2009