photo
Andrea Sibaja
Lucas Fernandez and Teodorico Quiros
Sanatorio Carlos Durán Cartín Administration Building Women and Children Pavillion
Tierra Blanca de Cartago, Costa Rica, 1916 (1937)
Politecnico di Milano Scuola di Architettura Urbanistica Ingegneria delle Costruzioni M.Sc. Architecture and Urban Design Research Thematic Seminar Professors: Andrea Canziani, Maruša Zorec Teaching assistants: Andraž Kersic, Verdiana Peron, Michele Porcelluzzi AA 2020-2021
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Table of contents
3.1.1.2 Physical Value
p. 4
3.1.1.3 Landscape Value
p. 4
3.1.2 Intangible Values p. 4
3.1.2.1 Architectural Value
0.1 Data for identification
p. 4
3.1.2.2 Historical Value
0.2 Status of protection
p. 4
3.1.2.3 Social Value
0. GENERAL DATA
p. 4
p. 6
3.2 Problematic Issues 3.2.1 Tangible problems
1. SOURCES 1.1 Bibliography
p. 6
3.2.1.1 Abandonment and level of deterioration
1.2 Archival Sources
3.2.1.2 Structural problems
p. 10
1.3 Iconographic Resources
3.2.1.3 Surface damages and materiality degradation
p. 12
3.2.2 Design Obsolescence
p. 12
2. ANALYSIS
p. 10
3.2.2.1 Accessibility and safety problems
p. 22
2.1 History
p. 12
3.2.2.2 Mechanical and Electric Systems
p. 24
2.1.1 1915-1918 Design and Construction
p. 12
3.2.2.3 Fire protection systems
p. 25
2.1.2 1918-1937 | New Buildings
p. 22
2.1.3 1940-1973 | The Sanatorium and its last decades
p. 24
3.2.3.1 Possible uninterest in restoration
2.1.4 2014-2021 | Listing and restoration projects
p. 25
3.2.3.2 Stigmatization
2.1.5 2017-Actuality | Current Situation
p. 26
3.2.3.3 Complex legal framework
p. 34
3.2.3.4 Financial maintenance and lack of investment
p. 36
2.1.6 Redraw original plans 2.1.7 Architectural Complex Summary Schemes. p. 34
2.3 Space and Use
p. 36
2.3.1 Analysis of the spaces and uses: original vs now 2.3.1.1 Administration Buildiing
2.3.1.2 Patient Pavillions - Women and Children Pavillion
3.3 Possible Scenarios 4. Conservation Project
p. 46
2.3.1 Architectural Complex Space and Use conditions
4.1 Conservation Strategies 4.1.1 Strategies 4.1.2 Scenario Selected 4.1.3 Elements to Intervene 4.1.4 Compliances with local regulations
3. Evaluation 3.1 Values
4.2 Women and Children Pavillion
3.1.1 Tangible Values
p. 26
3.2.4 Synthesis Problematic Issues and Values
2.2 Timeline of transformations
3.2.3 Intangible problems
3.1.1.1 Architectural Value
4.3 Surroundings 4.4.Administration Building 4.4.1 Strategies
Fig. Cover: Facade Administration Building and Church, Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja. 2019). Fig. 1: Facade Women and Children Pavillion, Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja. 2019).
4.4.2. Guidelines 4.4.3 Proposed Program 4.4.4.Interventions
p. 46
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0. GENERAL DATA 0.1 Data for identification: -Current Name: Sanatorio Duran Or El Sanatorio -Original Name: Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín Or Sanatorio Carit, Sanatorio Nacional De Tuberculosos -Date: 1916-1918 (Other Buildings Were Made In Other Decades) -Address: Costa Rica Province 03: Cartago Canton 07: Oreamuno District 03: Potrero Cerrado -National Topograpic Grid Gps Latitude: 9º 55’ 968’’ N Longitude: 83º 53’ 052’’ 0 -Original Use Sanatorium From 1918 To 1973 Juvenile Social Adaptation Center From 1973 - 1990 -Current Use Tourist Attraction (Some Buildings Are Renovated, Some Abandoned) Paranormal Activity Interest Historic Interest 0.2 Status of protection: - By the “Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural” of the Culture and Youth Ministry of Costa Rica, Nº 7555 “Ley de Patrimonio Histórico Arquitectónico de Costa Rica” from 1995 - November 19th, 2014
Fig. 2: Painting by Teodorico “Quico” Quirós of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, 1936. © Credits (Screenshot from unknown booklet. Recovered from Sanatorio Duran: Historia y curiosidades facebook page).
Fig. 3: Hermanas de la Caridad de Santa Ana. © Credits (e.g., Photo provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.).
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1. SOURCES 1.1 Bibliography
1.2 Archival sources
Barquero Morice, Pablo. “Jugando en el Sanatorio Durán: Entre la exclusión y la inclusión soBcial,” Revista Herencia, no. 30 (2017): 47-58. https://doi.org/10.15517/h.v30i2.31704.
BINASS Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www. binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Carrington, Thomas Spees. 1911. Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium Construction. New York. Castillo Halabi, Gabriel. “Propuesta de museo para el plan maestro de revitalización del Sanatorio Duran”. Bachelor’s degree diss., Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, 2019.
Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica Original plans of the project of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran. Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica, series maps and plans.
COOPRENA R.L. 2014. Perfil de inversión para la oportunidad turística identificada en el Parque Nacional Volcan Irazú. SINAC. http://www.sinac.go.cr/ES/docu/coop/proy/Perfil%20de%20Inversi%C3%B3n%20Tur%C3%ADstica%20en%20el%20PN%20Volc%C3%A1n%20Iraz%C3%BA. pdf.
Original plans of the project of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran by the Ministerio the Salubridad Pública. Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica, series maps and plans.
Munoz-Vinas, Salvador. Contemporary Theory of Conservation. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2012.
Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural Draft Plans of the state of deterioration of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Solís Barquero, Germán. “El doctor Durán C. Su participación en la política costarricense”. Bachelor’s degree diss., Universidad de Costa Rica, 1974.
Collection of historical photos provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Velazquez Bonilla, Carmela. “El Doctor Carlos Durán. Su investigación médica y sus estudios sobre la niñez,” Dialogos Revista Electrónica de Historia, no. 1 (2006) https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/ index.php/dialogos/article/view/6185/5888
Collection of schematic plans collected by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Velazquez Bonilla, Carmela. “Tierra Blanca una montaña de esperanza en la cura de la tuberculosis,” Dialogos Revista Electrónica de Historia, no. especial (2008)
Original Listing Document of the Sanatorio Duran Cartín
Vives Luque, Ileanna, and Sonia Gómez Vargas. “Edición Especial: Sanatorio Durán” Revista del Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural, no. 6 (2014): 1-138. Videos Espectro Canal UCR. “Sanatorio Duran” Jan 23, 2016. Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZXABOaXWB4 La Nación Costa Rica. “Sanatorio Duran no puede declararse patrimonio” Jul 28, 2013. Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ickB0iPAkBg
Fig. 4: Main Gate, Entrance to the property of the Sanatorio Duran. © Credits (Recovered from micostaricadeantaño.com).
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1.2 Iconographic resources Image Cover. View of the Administration Building and Church of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran, December 2019. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja.
Rica, series maps and plans. Image 19 . External view Eudowood Sanatorium. Photograph obtained from book Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium construction.
Image 1. View of the Women and Children Pavillion of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran, December 2019. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja. Image 2. Painting by Teodorico “Quico” Quirós of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, 1936. Screenshot recovered from facebook page Sanatorio Duran: Historia y curiosidades, https://www.facebook.com/groups/106810939346646/media
Image 20. Original plans Eudowood Sanatorium. Drawings obtained from alamy.com. Recovered from https://www.alamy.com/ tuberculosis-hospital-and-sanatorium-construction-no-22eudowood-sawith-the-exterior-of-the-main-section-and-the-windows-ofthe-entire-building-arefitted-on-the-outside-with-slat-blinds-i-image340019201.html
Image 3. Hermanas de la Caridad de Santa Ana. Photo provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 21. External view of the men pavillion of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 4. Main Gate, Entrance to the Sanatorium. Photo recovered from https://micostaricadeantano.com/2019/02/16/sanatorio-duran-cartin/
Image 22. External view of the Loomis Sanatorium. Photograph obtained from book Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium construction.
Image 5 .General view of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran during the 1910-1920’s period. Photograph obtained from the article El Doctor Carlos Durán. Su investigación médica y sus estudios sobre la niñez, from Dialogos Revista Electrónica de Historia from the Universidad de Costa Rica. Recovered from https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/dialogos/article/view/31152/32115
Image 23. Internal view of the men pavillion of the Sanatorio Carlos Dura. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 6. Dr. Carlos Durán Cartín. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 24. Original plan drawing from the men pavillion of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran. Drawing obtained from the booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio. Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosis, 1918. Recovered from https://www.binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 7. Aereal photo from the location and context of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran. Photograph obtained from Google Earth and edited by autor.
Image 25. Internal view of the lean-to building of the Loomis Sanatorium, Photograph obtained from book Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium construction.
Image 8. Cover of original booklet issued by the board with general information and original drawings of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www.binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 26. Oiginal drawing of the lean-to building of the Loomis Sanatorium. Photograph obtained from book Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium construction.
Image 9. Page of original booklet issued by the board with general information and original drawings of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www.binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 27. Patient Pavillion. Detail of the lean-to building and the slit blinds.Photo obtained from the thesis Propuesta de museo para el plan maestro de revitalización del Sanatorio Duran by Gabriel Castillo. Photograph obtained from Archivo Nacioanl de Costa Rica.
Image 10. Main facade of the Administration Building of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www.binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 28. Main facade Administration Building. The Refurbishment of the atrium and the additions to enclose the original front corridors are visible. Also the right part of the building suffered some changes were a section was demolished and rebuilt in concrete. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 11. Main facade of the Administration Building of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www.binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 29.Main facade Children Pavillion. Photograph from 194. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 12. Original patient pavillions of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www.binasss. sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 30. Columns of the hall inside the building of the kitchen and dining hall. Photograph of the state before the restoration of 2015 - 2017. Photograph by Magaly Solís, recovered from https://www.fotocommunity.es/photo/antiguo-hospital-sanatorio-duran-carta-magaly-solis/20091349
Image 13. Original front corridor of the Administration Building of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www.binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 31. Original plans of the project of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran by the Ministerio of Salubridad Publica. Photo obtained from the thesis. Original source Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica, series maps and plans. Image 32/33. Promotional poster from the investment and works done in the Sanatorium. Photograph recovered from Fotografias antiguas de Costa Rica. https://www.facebook.com/fotosantiguascr/photos/a.10151265854575935/10151265929645935
Image 14. Eng. Lucas Fernandez, Administration Building Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, Los Horcones, Cartago, Costa Rica. Original drawings of the west and south facades.Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www.binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 34. Men Pensioneer Building (unexistent), 1930’s. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimnio Cultural.
Image 15. Main facade administration Building Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 35. Pensioneer Building, last building built in the Sanatorium. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 16. Original master plan of the project of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran obtained from booklet issued by the Sanatorium Board in 1918. Sanatorio Carit para Tuberculosos.1918. D7815. Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. https://www.binasss.sa.cr/revistas/hospitales/1918A.pdf
Image 36. Panaormic View of the Sanatorium 1930.Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 17. Administration Building Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 37. Aereal View of the Sanatorium 1966. Photograph Instituto Geográfico Nacional. Obtained from https://doi.org/10.15517/h.v30i2.31704.
Image 18 . Original plans Administration Building of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran. Photo obtained from the thesis Propuesta de museo para el plan maestro de revitalización del Sanatorio Duran by Gabriel Castillo. Original source Archivo Nacional de Costa
Image 38. Irazu Volcano Eruption of 1963. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural. 8
Image 39. Aereal View of the Sanatorium 2021. Photograph Instituto Geográfico Nacional.
Image 62. Roof Plan Administration Building, redraw from original plans.
Image 40. Exterior appeareance of the dining hall before the restoration . Photograph by Tesseract Arquitectos.
Image 63. West facade Administration Building redraw
Image 41. Master Plan proposed by Tesseract Architects for the contest Salvmenos Nuestro Patrimonio of the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio. Proposed programatic and use adaptations of the existent buildings. Oiginal drawing by Tesseract Arquitectos.
Image 64. South facade Administration Building, Church and Restored Dining Hall
Image 42. Hall for visitors, physical state before the restoration project of the dining hall. Photograph by Magaly Solís recovered from https://www.fotocommunity.es/photo/antiguo-hospital-sanatorio-duran-carta-magaly-solis/20091349.
Image 66. Roof plan, Women and Children Pavillion. redraw from original plans.
Image 65. North facade Administration Building. redraw
Image 67. Ground Floor, Women and Children Pavillion. redraw from original plans.
Image 43. Architectural Plan by Tesseract Architects for the contest Salvmenos Nuestro Patrimonio of the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio. Proposed interventions for the kitchen, dining hall and employee dining hall. Originial drawing by Tesseract Arquitectos.
Image 68. First Floor, Women and Children Pavillion. redraw from original plans. Image 69. North Facade Women and Children Pavillion. redraw
Image 44/45. Render view of design proposed by Tesseract Architects for the restoration of the Dining Hall of the Sanatorium, the glass roof was not built. Render from Tesseract Architects.
Image 70. South Facade Women and Children Pavillion. redraw
Image 46. Inauguration of the newly restored Kitchen and Dining Hall of the Sanatorium. Photograph recovered from nación.com.
Image 71. East Facade Women and Children Pavillion. redraw
Image 47. Hall for visits after de restoration of the dining hall. Photograph from 1940. Photograph by Ardesa Arquitectura. http:// ardesaarquitectura.com/portfolio-view/sanatorioduran/
Image 72. West Facade Women and Children Pavillion. redraw Image 73. Urban Scheme, original design Sanatorio Duran 1915.
Image 48. Inauguration of the newly restored Kitchen and Dining Hall of the Sanatorium. Photograph recoverd from cartagohoy. com.
Image 74. Urban Scheme, later additions Sanatorio Duran 1937.
Image 49.Entrance to newly restored dining hall. Photograph by Roberto Fernandez, 2017. Recovered from Sanatorio Duran: Historia y curiosidades facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/106810939346646/media
Image 75. Urban Scheme, Sanatorio Duran during the decades of 1940-1970. Image 76. Urban Scheme, current situation Sanatorio Duran.
Image 50.Restored hall, the pavement was maintained from the original design. Photograph by Roberto Fernandez, 2017. Recovered from Sanatorio Duran: Historia y curiosidades facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/106810939346646/media
Image 77. Urban Scheme, axonometric diagram, original design Sanatorio Duran 1915.
Image 51.Hallway between Hall Space and Dining Hall building, with skylight.. Photograph by Roberto Fernandez, 2017. Recovered from Sanatorio Duran: Historia y curiosidades facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/106810939346646/media
Image 78. Urban Scheme, axonometric diagram , later additions Sanatorio Duran 1937. Image 79. Urban Scheme, axonometric diagram, Sanatorio Duran during the decades of 1940-1970.
Image 52.Exterior appeareance of the Dining Hall after the restoration.. Photograph by Ardesa Arquitectura. http://ardesaarquitectura.com/portfolio-view/sanatorioduran/
Image 80. Urban Scheme, axonometric diagram, current situation Sanatorio Duran.
Image 53. Administration Building current state, the demolition of the front corridor and atrium is visible, is unknown in which period of years happened. Photograph recovered from https://www.fotopaises.com/foto/sanatorio-carlos-duran-cartago-costa-rica-510192.
Image 81. Aereal view of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran, 2018. Photograph by Jason Fernandez Rojas.
Image 54. Front stairs of the entrance of the Church, current state. The church despite being closed and unused remains in a good physical state. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 83.Original design of the front corridor of the Administration Building, 1915. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image. 55. Courtyard between Church and Dining Hall, the space is part of the actions the UPANACIONAL takes in the maintenance of the green areas of the sanatorium. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 84. Main Hallway space of the Administration Building, the original design lead to the patient dining room. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 56. Current appeareance of the Women and Children Pavillion, it maintainsa good integrity despite its unused Some changes and additions where made to the facade throughout the last years. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 85. Dormitories in the Children Pavillion. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 57. Main entrance of the Women and Children Pavillion, the top part corresponds to the terrace of the first floor. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 86. Kitchen in the years of the functioning of the Sanatorium. The photo corresponds to the second kithcen and dining hall the Sanatorium had that was built in the decade of the 20s. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 82. Complex plan, buildings considered in evaluation.
Image 58. Chemical - Bacteriological Laboratory inside the Women and Children Pavillion current state .Photograph by Museo + UCR, recovered from https://www.ucr.ac.cr/noticias/2015/05/07/exposicion-trae-historia-del-sanatorio-duran-a-la-ucr.html.
Image 87. Current state of the main hall of the administration building, ground floor. Currently the spaces remain unused and closed to the public. Photograph recoverd from https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309231-d6429291-Reviews-Ruinas_Sanatorio_Carlos_Duran-Cartago_Province_of_Cartago.html.
Image 59. Main connective hallway between dining hall and Women and Children Pavillion current state. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 88. Current state of the spaces of the ground floor of the administration building. Overall of the building remains unused and closed to the public due to structural problems. Photograph recoverd from https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309231-d6429291-Reviews-Ruinas_Sanatorio_Carlos_Duran-Cartago_Province_of_Cartago.html.
Image 60. Ground Floor Plan Administration Building, redraw from original plans. Image 61. First Floor Plan Administration Building, redraw from original plans. 9
Image 89. Attic of the administration building, know as “El Pirata”, due to the fact nuns used to use the space for their dormitories and could have a visibility of all the complex from this point. Photograph recoverd from https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309231-d6429291-Reviews-Ruinas_Sanatorio_Carlos_Duran-Cartago_Province_of_Cartago.html.
original building in a church. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural
Image 90. Hallway of the first floor of the administration building where the nuns used to have their dormitories. Photograph recoverd from https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309231-d6429291-Reviews-Ruinas_Sanatorio_Carlos_Duran-Cartago_Province_of_Cartago.html.
Image 114. Hallway and corridor of new building that had the kitchen and the dining hall, 1920’s.Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural
Image 113. :Church stairway, current situation. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 115. Restored hallway and corridor of building of kitchen and dining hall. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 91. The vertical circulation of the Women and Children Pavillion is still functional and safe. The interior walls of the Pavillion have been marked by several graphitti and material deterioration is visible. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 116.. Main facade Women and Children Pavillion, 1940. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural
Image 92. Hallways of the Women and Children Pavillion current state. The linear design of the pavillion eases the current circulation where people wonder through the pavillion appreciation the current state of the rooms, some are open the other are closed and sealed. The walls of the hallways have been marked by several graphitti and the deterioration in the material surface is visible. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 117. Main facade Women and Children Pavillion. Photograph Andrea Sibaja, 2019. Image 118. Hallway connecting dining hall and pavillion, in the back the eruption can be visible, 1963. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural
Image 93.Former patient rooms current state in the Women and Children Pavillion, the building remains opened but unused and in abandonment, which has caused an ongoing process of deterioration . Photograph recovered from Foro Activo Terror Urbano, https://terrorurbano.foroactivo.com/t55-el-sanatorio-duran-cartago-costa-rica
Image 119 Hallway connecting dining hall and pavillion. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019. Image 120. Main facade Women and Children Pavillion, 1937.Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 94.Former patient rooms current state in the Women and Children Pavillion, the building remains opened but unused and in abandonment, which has caused an ongoing process of deterioration, in some rooms this is the scenario, were the rooms have become a garbage dump. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 121.. Main facade Women and Children Pavillion, 1937 .Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 95. Space and Use diagrams Administration Building in 1918, 1937 and 2021.
Image 122. Ground floor Administration Building, current situation. Strucutral damages.
Image 96. Space and Use diagrams Administration Building in 1918, 1937 and 2021.
Image 123. Visible damage of balloon frame system in Administration Building. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 97. Space and Use diagrams Women and Children Pavillion in 1918, 1937 and 2021.
Image 124.Demolished front corridor and atrium remains. Screenshot from video “Sanatorio Duran no puede ser declarado Sanatorio” elaborated by nación.com
Image 98. Space and Use diagrams WOmen and Children Pavillion in 1937 and 2021.
Image 125. Facade damages. Photograph recovered from fotopaises.com, 2018
Image 99. Axonometric diagrams space and use complex Sanatorio Duran
Image 126. Ground floor Administration Building, current situation. Demolished parts from the original project of 1918 and 1937 to the existent situation in 2021.
Image 100. Balloon frame system of the Administration Building, original project 1918. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 127. Original atrium and front corridors. Administration Buidling, 1915. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural
Image 101. Women and Children Pavillion built in a functional rationalism language adapted to the Costa Rican context. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 128. Re design of atrium and clsoing of the front corridors of the wings. Administration Buidling, 1920’s. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural
Image 102. Pensioneer building in construction around the year 1940. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 129. Demolished atrium and front corridor. Administration Buidling, current situation. Photograph recovered from i.pinimg. com
Image 103 Administration Building materiality contrast and current state. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja Matamoros, 2019 Image 104. Natural landscape surrounding the buildings of the complex. The Sanatorium is located in the surroundings of the Irazú Volcano which is part of one of the most important mountain ranges in Costa Rica, La cordillera volcánica central. The area was selected by the Sanatorium board due to the natural qualities that it had. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019.
Image 130. Ground floor Administration Building, current situation. Later additions from the original project of 1918 and 1937 to the existent situation in 2021. Image 131. Redesign of wing of administration building, built in concrete. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 105. Aereal view of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran. Photograph by Jason Fernandez Rojas, 2018,
Image 132. Closing of the facade Administration Building, current state. Photograph recovered from fotopaises.com, 2018 . Image 133. Transformation of the original dining hall in to the church. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 106.Chemical - Bacteriological Laboratory inside the Women and Children Pavillion 1940. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural. Image 107. Exterior view of the Administration Building, current state of the exterior parts of the buildings. Nowadays people visit the complex as day trips with their families, the complex have adequated picnic areas and recreation parts..Photograph by Andrea Sibaja Matamoros, 2019.
Image 134. Materiality of the administration building, original soft green paint is unexistent, later coats of painting are visible which gives different aspects to the facade surface. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja , 2019 Image 135. Different types of surface materialities visible in the administration building, different colors of paint are visible but also the deterioated and worned aspect of the wood. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 108. Main facade Administration Building, 1915. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación de Patrimonio Cultural Image 109. Main facade Administration Building, current situation. Photograph recovered from i.pinimg.com https://i.pinimg.com/originals/00/ff/fb/00fffbd93d57f8fab60a7769a87db9e8.jpg
Image 136. The Women and Children Pavillion material surface is still well preserved with a few problems of humidity and worned out painting. Nevertheless later additios like the concrete blocks in the picture to closed the window openings affect the external appearence of the building. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 110. Main facade Administration Buidling, 1915. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.
Image 137. Materiality of the administration building, different colors of paint are visible but also the deteriorated and worned out aspect of the wood. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 111. Main facade Administration Buidling, current situation. Photograph recovered from https://i.pinimg.com/originals/56/ be/d1/56bed16780164fe0de67931c807441f3.jpg
Image 138. The original atrium made from wood was then replaced with a concrete atrium in the Administration Building. The current state is quite deplorable since it was almost all destroyed and the remaining parts are quite deteriorated. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 112. Church Stairway. The Hermanas de la Caridad arrived to the Sanatorium 1935, which converted the dining hall of the 10
Image 139. The concrete materiality of the Women and Children Pavillion is still well preserved, the white plaster has suffered some deterioration. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 165. Replacement Windows and door frames. Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 166. Surface Materiality. Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
Image 140.Exposed facade section of the church made in baharaque, which is a traditional constructive method widely used in Costa Rica. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 167. Circulation Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
Image 141. The back part of the Women and Children Pavillion was also built in balloon frame system which presents some problems of integrity and deterioation. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 168. Ground floor Administration Building. Proposed intervention. Image 169. First floor Administration Building. Proposed intervention.
Image 142. Fig. 142: The interior wall materiality mainly is wrned out, and several graphitti have been drawned, some with aesthetic appearence others as a result of vandalism. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 170. South facade. Administration Building current state.
Image 143. The whole complex presents accessibility problems that affects the experience of disable people but als the presence of this type of signs prohibiting the access to the buildings affects the use of the buildings ingeneral. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 171. South facade. Administration Building proposed changes.
Image 144. Sidewalk leading to the sanatorium complex from the parking lot, it takes into consideration universal accessibility requirements nevertheless the whole complex is lacking safest options. Screenshot from video “Sanatorio Duran no puede ser declarado Sanatorio” elaborated by nación.com
Image 173. West facade. Administration Building proposed changes.
Image 145. The pluvial collection systemos of the buildings are currently in bad state where all the pipes from galvanized iron present high levels of deterioration and oxidation. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 175. Administration Building interior state, visualization with proposed changes, exhibition spaces.
Image 172. West facade. Administration Building current state.
Image 174. Administration building, interior space current state. Photograph recoverd from tripadvisor.com)
Image 176. Administration building, interior space current state. Photograph recoverd from tripadvisor.com)
Image 146. Overall almost all buildings lack of electrical systems, the ones existent are poorly designed.. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019
Image 177. Administration Building interior state, visualization with proposed changes, classroom and workshop spaces
Image 147. Original Patient Pavillions which was destroyed by a caused fire during the occupation of the Adaptation Juvenile Center. Photo obtained from the booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio in 1918. Image 148. Irazu Volcano Eruption of 1963. Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural Image 149. Hallway of the Women and Children Pavillion, the current state is what makes the complex attractive to visitors, the restoration of these spaces could cause a loss of interest for the Sanatorium. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019 Image 150. Youtube search of Sanatorio Duran, the content people can access from the Sanatorium commonly treats abouts the paranormal activity which contributes to stigmatization of the place. Screenshot recovered from https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sanatorio+duran Image 151. Front page of the current law of architectural heritage protection, Ley 7555 Ley del Patrimonio Histórico Arquitectónico de Costa Rica. Screenshot from original document of the law recovered from the website of the Centro de Investigación y conservación del Patrimonio Cultural Image 152. Sign outside the Sanatorio Duran.Screenshot from video “Sanatorio Duran no puede ser declarado Sanatorio” elaborated by nación.com Image 153. Scenario 1, Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 154. Scenario 2, Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 155. Scenario 3, Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 156. Scenario 4, Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 157. Scenarios Selected. Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 158. Buildings to Intervene. Image 159. Interior appeareance of the Women and Children Pavillion. Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019 Image 160. Exterior appeareance surrounding areas of the buildings. Maintenance of green areas and incorporation of accesibility paths and information signs.Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019 Image 161. Original Program. Exploded Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 162. Current Program, Exploded Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 163. Proposed program, Exploded Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. Image 164. Re design fron corridor and atrium. Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex. 11
Fig. 5: General view of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran during the 1910-1920’s period. © Credits (Photograph Photograph obtained from the article El Doctor Carlos Durán. Su investigación médica y sus estudios sobre la niñez, from Dialogos Revista Electrónica de Historia from the Universidad de Costa Rica.)
Fig. 6: Dr Carlos Durán Cartín, founder of the Sanatorium. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural. Original Source: Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica, photographic archive).
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2. ANALYSIS 2.1 History The Sanatorio Carlos Durán, the Sanatorio Carit, Sanatorio Nacional de Tuberculosos was a health center specialized in the attention of people suffering from tuberculosis. The Sanatorium is located at an altitude of 2080 m.a.s.l, between the districts of Tierra Blanca of Cartago and Potrero Cerrado of Oreamuno, both located in the province of Cartago in Costa Rica. It was at first founded in 1915 by Dr Carlos Duran Cartín and the Junta del Sanatorio, whom took all the responsability in the conception, budgeting, construction and management of the Sanatorium. The project was a personal effort from Dr. Duran due to his personal experience with the decease because one of his daughters suffered from it. Nevertheless it was an effort that took several years, where during the last decade of the 1800’s and the beginning of the 1900’s, there was a constant interest in developing and improving Costa Rica’s health system. This happened due to the role and importance that had the application of new public policies and the modernization of the Costa Rica’s govenment in matter of health policies due to the high presence of medical doctors in political positions.1 When the Sanatorium was founded other facilities were also created as the El Asilo Chapuí and the Escuela de Enfermeria; but also there was an ongoing interest in constant updating by the medical doctors who held periodic meetings in the Hospital San Juan de Dios, center of medical formation in that period.2 The Sanatorio Duran was not only first of its kind in Central America, but is part of the medical history of Costa Rica, where it contributed to
the development of the fight against tuberculosis but also set a precedent of medical infrastructure in the country.3
basis. 2.1.1 1915-1918 Design and Construction
of the Sanatorium Carlos Duran Cartín was a reality, being one of the most important medical successes in Costa Rica during that time.
The architecture of the Sanatorium was inspired in the Eudowood Sanatorium and it also follows all the architectural specificities that this kind of facilities needed, but particularities of Costa Rican architecture and adaptations to the climate and other aspects were included. The original project was designed in 1915 but in the following decades of the 30’s and 40’s several changes happened in the project, due to the political interest that existed.
Creation of the Sanatorium, 1915
According to a booklet issued in 1918 by the Sanatorium Board, the origin can be traced to 19155. During the administration of president Alfredo Gonzalez Flores, the Sanatorium was created by the law Nº58 from August 16th, 1915, as a place to shelter, isolate and attempt the healing of people that suffered from tuberculosis. The motion presented by the congressman Manuel Coto Fernández followed the draft legislation presented by the Dr. Carlos Duran where he exposed the reasons of the necessity of having and institution of this nature in Costa Rica: «In Costa Rica, the majority of the people are being affected by tuberculosis which according to the stadistics can be found as one of the principal causes of death in the population. The disease can be cured, with the incorporation of a series of measurements like a change of climate, rest and an adequate nutrition. This can’t be done by people with scarce resources since the conditions don’t allow them to access these type attentions.... the sanatorium can fulfil this purposes like isolate diverse foci of infection , serve as an educational institution for the study of tuberculosis, allowed the healing of people that without and adequate institution will be condemened to death, but also would liberate the charity institutions from taking care and spend money in these individuals that are left there, and that they don’t have the correct conditions and facilities to give the the adequate attention.» 6
Carlos Duran Cartín was a doctor, political figure and served as acting president from November of 1889 to may of 1890 during the administration of Bernardo Soto. He studied medicine in Paris and specialized in surgery in London during 1874-1875. It is believed that he was the first Costa Rican that studied Medicine professionally. When he came back from outer seas he had strong intentions of making better the hospital care and he was an active actor in the fight against tuberculosis and other diseases.
For several years the Sanatorium function to treat the desease until in 1973 was converted in a Juvenile Social Adaptation Center. During this period the buildings are going to suffer several outbursts until it was abandoned in 1990. From the 90’s to the begining of the 2000’s the complex is going to gain another perception in the collective imaginary where the past of this very succesful medical center is going to be forgotten and is going to transform into a place that is visited due to the belief of the presence of “parormal activity”.
Dr. Duran committed with the creation of an institution that cared patients with tuberculosis due to two important situations, the first being the high incidence of the disease in the country and also given to the fact that his own daughter suffered from the illness.44 Due to her illness and to the lack of adequate treatment and the inexistence of specialized facilities he searched for the best option outside of Costa Rica and he travelled with her daughter and wife to the Loomis Sanatorium in New York, United States in 1903. During this period he dedicated his time to make some research and specialization in tuberculosis treatment and also to the study the necessities tuberculosis facilities needed in order to give the adequate treatment to the patients.
In 2014 the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural, the institute responsible for the conservation of heritage architecture in Costa Rica, is going to grant the listing to the complex giving a new opportunity to the Sanatorium of recovering its value. In the past years the interest in the refurbishment of the complex and the recovery of its historic memory has had an exponencial growth, making it a highly visited place in a daily
In 1904 a first attempt of creating the institution was made without success. Nevertheless the idea remain in Duran’s head until the creation
1 Ileana Vives Luque, Sonia Gomez Vargas, “Edición Especial:
Sanatorio Durán,” Revista del Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural, no. 6 (2014): 23.
2 Vives, “Sanatori Duran”, 23.
5 Booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio (Sanatorium Board)
in 1918, D7815, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. 5
3 Carmela Velazquez Bonilla, “Tierra Blanca una montaña
de esperanza en la cura de la tuberculosis,” Dialogos Revista Electrónica de Historia, no. especial (2008): 5.
4 Vives, “Sanatori Duran”, 24. 13
6 Germán Solis Barquero, “El doctor Durán C. Su participación en la política costarricense. (Bachelor’s degree diss., Universidad de
The draft legislation at first assigned the name of Sanatorium Carit Sanatorio Nacional de Tuberculosos, which later was changed following Dr. Carlos Durán name. The draft also stablished the necessity of acquiring a property for the construction of the facilities and also dictated the creation of a Board, compound by three doctors, one lawyer and one engineer, which were the responsibles of managing all the construction process of the Sanatorium.17 La Junta del Sanatorio (The Sanatorium Board) This board composed of several professionals not only had in charge the construction and the management of the Sanatorium but also had to take responsability of other kind of tasks. The Board had the power to assign or remove workers from the institution. The board was supervised by the Facultad de Medicina de la Republica de Costa Rica, and had to develop the regulations of the institution that had to be presented to the executive of the Costa Rican Government for approval. The draft legislation that created the Sanatorium stipulated some points regarding the economic support of the institution. First the creation of a tax of 1% on the profits of the banking entities both national and international. Also for every 5 cents of 1 colón (Costa Rican currency) for every liter of beer produced. Also other way in which they perceived income was by converting the Sanatorium as the main inheritor of all the people that died from tuberculosis in the Sanatorium. All the information regarding the composition of the board, the regulations, the specifications and description of the project, the original drafts of the buildings, the selection and description of the site where the institution was, but also the plan of the operation costs and butget, can be found in the already mentioned booket presented in 1918 by the board. The first board of the Sanatorium was created September 8th of 1915, composed by the doctors Carlos Durán (founder of the Sanatorium and President of the Board), Luis Paulino
Jimenez, Teodoro Picado, both doctos, the engineer Lucas Fernandez, and the lawyer Claudio Gonzalez Rucavado. These professionals had the responsability of creating the regulations, acquire the loans that will help the construction of the instituition and the production of all the architectural plans for the construction of the Sanatorium.82
interest. In all this process the engineer Lucas Fernandez (member of the board) was continously measuring the quality of the air since it was one of the most important factors in the selection of the site. The board also commisioned Elías Leiva to take daily observations regarding air humidity, temperature , sun hours, rain hours, wind direction and velocity. This shows how serious the board took the task of looking for the ideal place of the Sanatorium, taking as a base the knowledge they had of other sanatoriums in North America and in Europe.
The creation of the board and the search for resources was a quick and positive process. Quickly the Banco Anglo Costarricense loaned 150 000 colones39 to the board, and Elena Durán, a widow, loaned other 50 000 colones. With this 200 000 colones plus the sum of 78 631 colones coming from the tax created by the law the board could acquire a property of 19 hectares and 9827 square meters where later the construction of the Sanatorium began.
With the search of the ideal place, the media at that time published how the construction of the Sanatorium was going to bring job opportunities and diverse economic improvements. Because of this, numerous municipalities started offering options to the Board with the wish of being se1 lected to built the Sanatorium in their cantons. 10
But parallel to the search of resources and previous to the acquisition of the property, the process of selection of the location was a painstaking process since the Sanatorium had to count with very specific conditions to make the treatments efficient. For this process, several comissions were created, where the members of the board and other interest parts participated in the search of the ideal location. Since the doctor Carlos Duran had visited several sanatoriums in the United States he had studied further in detail all the conditions that were ideal for the siting of the institution. So the search of the location was accompanied by the study of techincal detailes like altitude, wind prevailing, air humidity, temperature, sun hours, etc.
The board visited diverse locations offered by the municipalities, but since they had to take into consideration some technical aspects a lot of these places were rejected quickly. Finally the Cartago Municipality offered the posibility of donating a property close to Tierra Blanca. The place known as Los Horcones was selected because of the following reasons exposed in one of the board’s reunions:211 1. The studies made by Elías Leiva, commisioned to measure daily data about the climate conditions were adequate. 2. Availability of drinking water. 3. Ease to develop water pressure. 4. The location is protected by a mountain range which prevents the Northern winds. 5. The exposition of the property to the south allowing to obtain a huge amount of sun hours. 6. From the places that has an altitud of 2000 masl, is the one closest to the train rail. 7. Receives pure airs from the Atlantic Ocean. 8. The altitude at which is located is precisely the average altitude that needs an institution of this type in Costa Rica. 9. Despite specialists said the tubercolisis patients needed lower altitudes, the population of
Selection of the location, Los Horcones Several locations were considered in different points of the mountain ranges of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Properties located in the south of Escazú, East from San Isidro de Coronado, north from Heredia, in the vicinity of the Poas Volcano were considered since all shared similarities in conditions. Then some locations were visited in the province of Cartago were an specific location know as Los Horcones sparked some interest.
10 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 29.
7 Booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio (Sanatorium Board) in 1918, D7815, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. 5-7
11 Booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio (Sanatorium Board) in 1918, D7815, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. 25-26.
8 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 24. 9 Colón (colones in plural), Costa Rican currency, nowadays 1 euro is equivalent to 727 colones. 14
Costa Rica in that moment already lived in higher altitutes so the board decided that the altitute selected was the ideal for the Costa Rican population. 10. Because the terrain had a dry and sandy condition which allows the instalation of drainage. 11. Because the dry air and temperature conditions were the ideal for the treatment of tuberculosis patients. 12. The location had a centric position respecting other town centers of Costa Rica. 13. Because of past years experience, all the people that goes to Tierra Blanca seeking for health care heals easily and quickly.
Tierra Blanca and Potrero Cerrado Currently the Sanatorium is located in between the districts of Tierra Blanca of Cartago and Potrero Cerrado of Oreamuno, at 2335 m.a.s.l. Most of the towns located in the surroundings of the Sanatorium have agricultural activities as their main economic support. In the past years due to the presence of national parks and the attractiveness of the natural landscape the industry of ecological tourism has gained importance. In the province of Cartago, was located originally the capital of Costa Rica, and numerous precolumbian, colonial and historic places can be found. In the north of the Sanatorium the Cordillera Volcánica Central de Costa Rica is located, and at only 15 km by car you can reach from the Sanatorium the Irazú Volcano, one of the most important natural landscapes of the country since is an active volcano. In the Northwest of the Sanatorium the Bosque de Prusia can be found which is daily visited by a huge amount of tourists which contributes to the Sanatorium also. The Sanatorium is surrounded by agricultural fields which are also owned by the current owner and manager of the Sanatorium, the Unión Nacional de Pequeños y Medianos Productores, whom produce several type of agricultural products that are being used to cook the food that the dining area of the Sanatorium sells to the visitors, making an efficient economic system that supports not only the maintenance of the Sanatorium but also the actors involved in it. In general, the zone has really positive conditions which allowed the sanatorium developed there and still helps the maintainment of the building there.
Irazú Volcano
Bosque de Prusia
Sanatorio Carlos Durán
San José Capital of Costa Rica
Potrero Cerrado de Oreamuno Tierra Blanca de Cartago
Cartago
Fig. 7: Location of the Sanatorium Carlos Duran Cartín from the main city center of the Province of Cartago and the main city of the Province of San José, capital of Costa Rica.
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Fig. 8: Cover of original booklet issued by the board with general information and original drawings of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. © Credits (Sanatoriu Board, original booklet obtained from the BINASS).
Fig. 9: Page of original booklet issued by the board with general information and original drawings of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. © Credits (Sanatoriu Board, original booklet obtained from the BINASS).
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Fig. 10: Main facade of the Administration Building of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. © Credits (Sanatoriu Board, original booklet obtained from the BINASS).
Fig. 11: Main facade of the Administration Building of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. © Credits (Sanatoriu Board, original booklet obtained from the BINASS).
Fig. 12: Original patient pavillions (now demolished) of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. © Credits (Sanatoriu Board, original booklet obtained from the BINASS).
Fig. 13: Original front corridor of the Administration Building (now unexistent) of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín. © Credits (Sanatoriu Board, original booklet obtained from the BINASS).
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The Design and Construction Process As a part of the board was the engineer Lucas Fernandez, who did the design of the complex of original buildings of the Sanatorium. In one of the board sessions they stablished that Francisco Zúñiga was going to be the builder in charge of the construction. As it was already mentioned, Dr Carlos Duran gained more knowledge about the disease and the neccessities the sanatorium had to have in order to give adequate treatment for the patients that were going to stay there. He not only visited the Loomis Sanatorium where his daughter was admitted but he also visited and studied other similiar facilities regarding the construction methods, materials and also the furniture that was being used. All of this was taking into consideration when the engineer 1 Lucas Fernandez designed the project. 12 As it is also mentioned in the archival document, the booklet issued by the board, the original project of the Sanatorium regarding the design was inspired in one of the most important sanatoriums of the United Stateds, the well known Eudowood Sanatorium Towson Md, located in Maryland, which for the professionals involved in the project, presented good characteristics in all the aspects to take into consideration and could function as a good base project for the sanatorium. Finally, Lucas Fernandez who served as the Director of the Ministerio de Obras Públicas of Costa Rica at the time was in charge of the design and drafting, and Francisco Zúñiga was in charged of the construction. The latter indicated to Zúñiga the location of the project in the property and this one proceded to prepare the terrain which needed some leveling. But the priority before beginning with the construction of the complex was the construction of some shelters for the builders because of the harsh climate conditions these ones were going to confront with. Also Zúñiga built a little house for his family and himself. With this preparations they were prepared to begin with the construction of the sanatorium. Fernandez did all the studies, calculations and adjustmentes necessary to the project which then presented to the rest of the board for its further approval.
12 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 31.
For the transportation of the materiales from Cartago the closest urban center to Los Horcones, a public bidding was made which was won by Guillermo Tinoco, which provided some wagons pulled by oxen to transport the materials. Most of the materials were from local production but also some things were imported from overseas, for what it was neccesary the transportation from Limón a seaside town in the Atlantic Coast of the country to Cartago, which was achieved by the Atlantic train rail. And finally, a little commissary was stablished in the little town of Los Horcones to ease the access to groceries for the builders 13 involved in the construction.2 The Original Buildings 1916-1918 Despite nowadays much of the original buildings are still existent, these have suffered a lot of changes throughout the years. In order to have a clear image of the original morphology of the buildings, details, materiality and plan disposition we have to take into consideration the archival sources as the booklet issued by the board where they describe further in detail the programatic disposition of the buildings and also historic photos which show cleary all the characteristics of the proyect.
Fig. 14: Eng. Lucas Fernandez, Administration Building Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, Los Horcones, Cartago, Costa Rica. Original drawings of the west and south facades. © Credits (Drawings obtained from the booklet GF issued by the Junta del Sanatorio in 1918.).
As it was already mentioned the Sanatorium project was inspired in the Eudowood Sanatorium, where high amount of similarities in scale and in morphology can be found. The original project built between 1916-1918 consisted in three buildings, that are cleary explained in the booklet: «There are three main principal buildings, painted with tender green oil paint, the administration building is located in the center and at each side of it, at 25 meters of distance, the patient pavillions are located, one for men and one for women, between this one and the administration building another small building is located where the laundry can be found. The constructions have been built on the best quality black oak bases like at half a meter above the ground.
13 Booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio (Sanatorium Board) in 1918, D7815, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. 34.
Fig. 15: Main facade of the administration building of the Sanatorio Duran. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural). GF 18
Fig. 16: Eng. Lucas Fernandez, Administration Building Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, Los Horcones, Cartago, Costa Rica. Original plan with overlapping of redrawing of the plan. It can be observed that is almost the same plan as the of the Eudowood Sanatorium. © Credits (Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica from the series maps and plans).
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Fig. 17: Eng. Lucas Fernandez, Administration Building Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, Los Horcones, Cartago, Costa Rica. Photo of the adminastration building in 1918. The materiality and details of the buildiing can be obGF served. © Credits (Photo obtained from the booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio in 1918.).
Fig. 18: Eng. Lucas Fernandez, Administration Building Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, Los Horcones, Cartago, Costa Rica. Original plan with overlapping of redrawing of the plan. It can be observed that is almost the same GF plan as the of the Eudowood Sanatorium. © Credits (Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica from the series maps and plans).
Fig. 19: Allen and Archer Architects. Administration Building of the Eudowood Sanatorium, Maryland, United States, date of the photo unknown. The Eudowood Sanatorium, now demolished opened in 1886 and served as inspiration for the design of the Carlos Duran Sanatorium. © Credits (Photo obtained frombook Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium construction).
Fig. 20: Allen and Archer Architects. Administration Building of the Eudowood Sanatorium, Maryland, United States, date of the photo unknown. In the plan the similarities in the spaces can be seen, almost all the programatic funtions in both projects are equal. © Credits (Photo obtained from alamy.com).
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The buildings are made from cedar and pochote wood, with galvanized roof, painted with black paint donated by the Botica Francesa, comercial establishment who wanted to make his beneficial influence felt also in the Sanatorio Carit. The kitchen constructive system is a mix between bahareque and caña de Castilla. This kind of materials were advised by prudence since is common knowledge how much sismic activity exists in Costa Rica. In a few constructions were used sand, lime and brickwork.»141 The orientation of the building’s main facade was facing the west, but also having exposition to the south and east. Respecting the administration building is mention in and can be still observed nowadays that is so elevated from the ground level that those spaces above the ground plan were destined for storage use and also for the construction of some rooms for specific uses except for patient use. The administration building consisted in 2 floors, the ground level consisting of the main entrance with a front corridor, that lead to a main hallway which connected directly to the dining space and the kitchen down the hallway with storage spaces. Then in the main hallway at the left side there was an office and a library space, and at the right side the doctor’s office, the examination room and his private dining space were located. Between the main hallway and the kitchen, there was a division of paths that lead to the side wings of the building, to the the right side was the recreational room and at the left side were the patient observation rooms, which also had some bathrooms and storage spaces. Both of these wings also had front corridors. The second floor had six rooms, two storage rooms and two bathrooms, and finally had a really a large attic with four windows facing the four orientation and with enough space for servant’s rooms. Regarding the patient pavillions, there were two as it was already mentioned, one for women and one for men. Both had capacity for forty patients and had a disposition and design following the method of various sanatoriums in the United States. Each pavillion had a central space and
14 Booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio (Sanatorium Board) in 1918, D7815, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASS, San José, Costa Rica. 37.
two wings. The central space had a large room with wide windows and doors it was an enclosed space to provide a sheltered area for the patients if the weather conditions were windy or too cold. Behind this space, there was another enclosed space destined for the eleven W.C, six bath tubs, four storage rooms, and forty small changing rooms. The building was mainly built in wood, with numerous wide windows, and also was elevated from the terrain. The wings had an aspect of an open corridor which had some slit blinds which allowed the control of light and wind in the space, so basically it can be said, the patients had an outdoor feeling. These pavillions followed a similar design to the Loomis Sanatorium patient wings, which 1 were built after the lean-to15 building method. The lean-to building was first incorporated in this Sanatorium and was created and designed by the Dr. Herberth Maxon King. This system as it was already mentioned incorporated a system of slit blinds in between a compostion of pole frameworks, and served as an overhanging roof, that could open and close in demand of the situation. In order for this spaces to be comfortable and also to make them serviceable during winter it was neccesary to provide an enclosed space nearby as the pavillion of the Duran Sanatorium present.
Fig. 21: Eng. Lucas Fernandez, Patient Pavillions Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, Los Horcones, Cartago, Costa Rica. Photo of the pavillion where the men where admitted in 1918, following the lean-to building design. © Credits (Photo obtained from the booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio in 1918.).
In general, the construction and the design and management of the building was carefully made. It was take into consideration all the medical advances of the moment and various architectural considerations. Also aspects as the temperature, altitude and the properties of constructive materials were stimated. For example Costa Rica being a highly sismic country, considerations for anti sismic construction were considered as the construction over piloti which functioned in a really efficient way since the existent buildings are still stable. Other things were thought through like aesthetic aspects of the flooring of the buildings that nowadays can 2 still be observed, which had high quality mosaic.16 With all this process finalized, finally the Sanatorium opened November 1st of 1918.
Fig. 22: Dr Herbeth Maxon. Lean-to type building in the Loomis Sanatorium, Liberty New York, United States,1911. Since Dr. Duran visited the Loomis Sanatorium it can be observed the influence of this building also in the design for the patients pavillion with the method of the lean-to buidling. © Credits (Photo obtained from the book Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium construction).
15 Thomas Spees Carrington, Tuberculosis Hospitals and Sanatorium Construction (1911), 119. 16 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”,39 21
Fig. 23: Eng. Lucas Fernandez, Patient Pavillions Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, Los Horcones, Cartago, Costa Rica. Internal photo of the patient pavillion. © Credits (Photo provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.).
Fig. 24: Eng. Lucas Fernandez, Administration Building Sanatorio Carlos Duran Cartín, Los Horcones, Cartago, Costa Rica. Original plan with overlapping of redrawing of the plan. It can be observed that is almost the same plan as the of the Eudowood Sanatorium. © Credits (Plan obtained from the booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio in 1918).
Fig. 25: Dr Herbeth Maxon. Lean-to type building in the Loomis Sanatorium, Liberty New York, United States,1911. The lean-to building system incoporated some slit blinds to control air and sunlight in the buidling © Credits (Photo obtained from the book Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium construction).
Fig. 26: Dr Herbeth Maxon. Lean-to type building in the Loomis Sanatorium, Liberty New York, United States,1911. Plan of the lean-to building of the Loomis Sanatorium, this designed was first incoporated in this sanatorium. © Credits (Plan obtained from the book Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanatorium construction).
22
Fig. 27: Patient Pavillion. Detail of the lean-to building and the slit blinds. © Credits (Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica, series photographs).
23
2.1.2 1918-1937 | New Buildings Later works and New Buildings As it was mentioned earlier, the Sanatorium’s constructions was achieved thanks to the taxes created specially for this purpose. Also donations and the costs they charged for being admitted there helped with the management of the place, nevertheless it wasn’t enough for all the projects they had in mind regarding the expansion of the facilities. Numerous motions were presented to the Congress of Costa Rica to expand the collection of taxes to improve the economic conditions of the Sanatorium. In various archival documents is mentioned the numerous efforts the political figures took to improve the incomes, which show the importance this institution had for the government of Costa Rica, and also the importance of its role in the health system of the 17 country.1 The sanatorium location implied the neccessity of having self sufficient installations, so after its foundation in 1918, the idea of creating stables, chicken coops, a silo and other things started gaining importance. In the decade of 1920, a new director was elected, being Dr. Elías Rojas, whom was interested in developing a new complex of new pavillions, the incorporation of a church to give the possibility of giving religious services there, and finally the idea of building an independent house for the doctor. In a monograph about Cartago of Jesús Mata Gamboa published in 1930 it was said that a new building for the kitchen was built apart from the original building, it was made in concrete, also the posibility of the incorporation of a slaughter house and infrastructure for x-rays were already in the plans. In other archival document mentioned in the main source for this research, it is mentioned that the plan of expansion of the Sanatorium was drafted by the Architect Teodorico Quiros, which was approved by the government but in the moment it wasnt built due to the impossibility of the construction of the road that lead to the sanatorium which caused problems in the transportation of the materials and also it wasn’t possible to build both the expansion of the sanatorium and the road with
17 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 43
the 1928’s budget. It is thought that the later built Women and Children Pavillion was the original design by Teodorico Quiros. The Sanatorium during the Government of Leon Cortés Castro (1936-1940) During the decade of the 1930’s, a huge amount of new constructions were happening in Costa Rica, which also reflected in the Sanatorium, since it was during this decade that various new buildings and spaces arose in the complex. This happened during the mandate of the President Leon Cortés Castro whose presidency was know as the El Gobierno del Cemento y la Varilla ( the government of the cement and the rod), since a high amount of public infrastructure was created during those years. In 1937 it was created an association named the Sección de la Lucha Antituberculosa118, which joined various organizations that battled the famous “white plague” as it was commonly known. This lead to the necessity of building new infrastructure and dotating the sanatorium with all what it was required to fulfill this task in the best way.
Fig. 28 :Main facade Administration Building. The Refurbishment of the atrium and the additions to enclose the original front corridors are visible. Also the right part of the building suffered some changes were a section was demolished and rebuilt in concrete. Photograph from 1940. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural)
In decade of the 30’s, Dr Raúl Blanco Cervantes became the new director of the Sanatorium, and in a report presented by him in 1938 he detailed all the works and changes that were made in the institution, both medical as administrative and regarding the infrastructure also. In this report is detailed how a reorganization of the medical and administrative body was made, new job openings were created for doctors and nurses, and an internal regulation was created. The Sanatorium was equiped with an ambulance service, and a metereological station, an electric plant, a telephone service was incorporated and the disposal trash system was improved. Regarding the infrastructure changes the following was made: 1. Conditioning of the children pavillion with gym and recreation space. 2. Refurbishment of the general pavillion of men and women. 3. Construction of an isolation special pavillion. 4. Construction of nursury special pavillion.
18 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 45 24
5. Expansion of the capacity of the pavillions. 6. Expansion and improvement of the services of X-rays, surgery, laboratory, dentist, archives and scientific library. 7. Incorporation of the ergotherapy consulting room 8. Setting up of hot water in the pavillions 9. Cleaning and embellisment of the vicinities of the buildings. 10. Refurbishment of kitchen. 11. Reconditioning of storage 12. Expansion of drainage system 13. Setting up of machinery and heating system for the laundry. In other report from 1940 made by Antonio Zelaya, a review and analysis of all the works and buildings made in the years of 1937 to 1939 1 is detailed: 19 1. Reconditioning of a house for the superior staff. 2. Reconditioning of a house for the doctor and assistants. 3. Construction of a building for pensioner women. 4. Building of a house for the doctors and assistants. 5. Building of a nursury building for men. 6. Refurbishment of the atrium for the main administration building. 7. Construction of the window system of the gymnasium of the children pavillion 8. Construction of a crematorium 9. Construction of new drainage system 10. Construction of a park in front of the general women pavillion 11. Construction of a camp for operators. All of the previous mentioned works were finalized by 1939. The motivation behind the agenda of construction and improvement of numerous works and buildings in the sanatorium is justified behind the interest of developing the general program that the Sección de la Lucha Antituberculosa had, which cause the neccessity of expanding the technical and administrative works by increasing the amount of staff in the sanatorium, but also increasing the amount of patients and supporting the previous with the expansion of the infrastructure.
According to Zelaya in the report, the house of the doctors, the pensioner pavillions, the construction and design of the gardens and the rebuilding of the men pavillion were in charge of the Consejo Nacional de Salubridad. According to this source also, the Sanatorium went from counting with 78 beds in 1933 to 270 in 1939 and that during that time was still in constrution another pavillion for 60 beds and an isolation 1 pavillion for 10 beds more.20 The original administration building during the 30’s suffer some changes, specially during 1935 when a group of nuns of the order Hermanas de la Caridad de Santa Ana arrived from Venezuela to the Sanatorium, which brought a “christian perception” of how to treat the sick, so they incorporated praying spaces, which brought some changes to the architectural spaces of the building. With their arrival they took possession of the second and third floor of the administration building for its private bedrooms and also the basement of the administration buiding (the space that existed due to the elevation of the building from the ground) was refurbish and recondition for the incorporation of new spaces.
Fig. 29 :Main facade Children Pavillion. Photograph from 1940. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural)
Other changes consisted in changing the dining hall in a church for the service of masses, and the demolition of the spaces of the kitchen an storage which change the architectural plan of the original building. Also from the left wing of the the administration building some changes can be observed as the substitution of the recreation space for a space for an operating room, dentist office, and therefore the change of materiality trying to change the wood for more sanitary materials as the ceramics and mosaics. And finally in the right wing, the observation rooms were eliminated to create and x ray room and a laboratory room. Finally in these years, a nursury for the pavillion of men wa also built and it incorporated to the former men pavillion, a hall, two treatment and examination rooms, five rooms with an individual bathroom for the isolation of very ill patients or surgery recovery patitents and a room for the on call nurse. It was had some storage spaces, with washing stations and a small pharmacy space.221
Fig. 30: Columns of the hall inside the building of the kitchen and dining hall. Photograph of the state before the restoration of 2015 - 2017. © Credits (Photograph by Magaly Solís, recovered from fotocommunity.es ).
20 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 45 19. Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 45
21 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 49 25
Fig. 31: Archival plan of the complex of the Sanatorio Duran Cartín, . © Credits (Recovered from Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica, series maps and plans.).
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Fig. 32: Promotional poster from the investment and works done in the Sanatorium. © Credits (Photograph recovered from Fotografias antiguas de Costa Rica).
Fig. 33: Promotional poster from the investment and works done in the Sanatorium. © Credits (Photograph recovered from Fotografias antiguas de Costa Rica).
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As a general view of the buildings that were built during 1937-1938-1939, in the administration of the President Leon Cortés Castro, numerous photo are prove of all the improvement made to the sanatorium, despite some of the buildings are still existent, some others didn’t make it to our days due to different reasons. From the buildings built in those years is important to highlight the incorporation of the women and children pavillion and the pensioner building both with a very diifferent architectural language of the original administration building. 2.1.3 1940-1973 | The Sanatorium and its last decades In the report of Antonio Zelaya already mention, it is mentioned the Sanatorio Duran Cartín was considered an “legitimate pride of the country” due to how the institution showed capacity of adapting to changes and expanding the capacity of the facilities and a constant improvement in infrastructure. Then in this report is also detailed a series of new improvements the sanatorium had during 1940 and 1942: 1. Rebuilding of the first floor of the general men pavillion, with a recreation hall, a library and some changes to the rooms and the expansion of the capacity of beds. 2. Garden design in front of the general x pavillion of men. 3. Finalization of the nursury pavillion of men, with examination rooms, treatment halls, five rooms with individual bathrooms, room for on call nurse and spaces for storage and washing. 4. Expansion and reconditiong of the pharmacy 5. Construction of the hallway connecting the general men pavillion. 6. Construction of a new apartment for the residence of the second assistant doctor. 7. Refurbishment and management works and conservation of the buildings and vicinities. Adding to this list, the conclusion of already pending works as the finalization of the women pensioner building. Despite all the advances the sanatorium had during the decade of the 30’s, the agenda of the Sección de Lucha Antituberculosa could continue due to different factors. First during the decade of the 40’s due to the World War II the projects were stopped as a cause of the impact of the war in the world, and specificall
the economics of the country. Also the Sección in that moment was also directing efforts to other building construction like the Hospital Nacional Antituberculos in San José (capital of Costa Rica), so this adding up the effects not only of the WWII but the economics affectations of our own Civil War in 1948 made difficult the construction and management of the infrastructure in the Sanatorium. By the 50’s the image of the Sanatorium as this very important institution began to decrease, due to the economical problems and to the existence of new infrastructure closer to the city centers. So instead of building new infrastructure, the demoltion of existent buidlings began to happened as it happen to the the original women pavillion which is thougtht to be demolished around the years of 1945 and 1966. To this list is also added the demolition of the men pensioner building that because of the analysis of some aereal shots of the Sanatorium from the years 1945,1966,1978 and 1998, it is thought that it was demolished around the years of 1978 and 1998, which also happend to some areas of the women and children pavillion (specifically the dining hall and the gymnasium) 1 and the men pavillion,22 this to give more space to the agricultural spaces of the UPANACIONAL, the current owner of the complex. According to researchers it is thought that due to the demotion of the general women pavillion, these ones were relocated to the children pavillion, turning it into the Women and Children Pavillion. In 1963, despite de volcan eruption of the Irazú Volcano, it didnt seem it affected the sanatorium in serious ways, not as it affected other parts of the area of Cartago. The possibility of another episode of this type was also one of the other reasons that affected the inminent end of the sanatorium.
Fig. 34: Men Pensioneer Building (unexistent), 1930’s. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimnio Cultural).
Even though, there are multiple sources about the Sanatorium history during the years it was functioning, there is not enough information about the real reasons behind the closure of the facilities. After almost 50 years of service the Sanatorium closed its doors to the public in 2 1973, due to this possible reasons23 : 1. It was proven that was not neccesary to isolate an ill person, also because the isolation caused family desintegration. Fig. 35: Pensioneer Building, last building built in the Sanatorium. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
22 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 60 23 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 63 28
Fig. 36: Panaormic View of the Sanatorium 1930. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Fig. 37: Aereal View of the Sanatorium 1966. © Credits (Photograph Instituto Geográfico Nacional).
Fig.38 : Irazu Volcano Eruption of 1963. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Fig. 39: Aereal View of the Sanatorium 2021. © Credits (Photograph Instituto Geográfico Nacional).
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2. It was proven that it was no longer necessary to apply the treatment proposed at the end of XIX century and the beggining of the XX century since it was consider obsolete by that time. 3. It was proven that the location at high altitude didn’t have an incidence in the recovery of the patients. 4. Other institutions treating tuberculosis were opened closer to San José (the capital) making it more accesible. 5. It was found an effective treatment for tuberculosis which made the number of ill people decrease. All of this made no longer necessary to maintain the Sanatorium open which also demanded high costs of maintainment. So officially the 20th of January of 1973 the Sanatorium closed its doors to the public which ended not only a historic chapter for the architectural complex but also for the history of the health system in Costa Rica, since it signified a victory against a disease that not only took a lot of lives but also made people being isolated from society and being forced to face the stigma the disease brought. In February of 1973 the property of the Sanatorium was transferred to the Dirección General de Adapatación Social del Ministerio de Gobernación, Policía, Justicia y Gracia, which transformed the infrastructure of the Sanatorium in the Centro de Adaptación Juvenil Luis Felipe Gonzalez Flores (Juvenile Adaptation Center), which was not welcomed by the people living nearby the area of the facilities since they were afraid of the possible escape of the young convicts leaving there and how they could affect the area.124 From 1973 to 1990 the Juvenile Adaptation Center was functioning which caused the affectation of the buildings due to different incidents like the burnt of the original pavillion of Men. Finally in 1990 the Center closed and the property was then transferred to the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganaderia which yielded the dominiom of the property to the UPANACIONAL. The bad management of the property and the buildings by this organization have lead the the complex to a serious level of deterioration. The lack of economic resources and of interest of preservation for the architectural complex has greatly affected the integrity and state of all the buildings of the complex, mainly because since acquiring the property the UPANACIONAL
Costarricenses, whom has the ownership of the agricultural fields surrounding the sanatorium have develop some interest in the recovery of the spaces of this really important architectural complex.
has focused on the agriculture activities rather the preservation of the architecture. Also the lack of use policies and maintainment of the spaces has caused high levels of deterioration and destruction.But the deterioration not only has happened in a physical level but also in and intangible level since the past years people has assigned to the Sanatorium an 2 stigma25 of a grim place where “ghosts” and bad energies are present affecting the once prestigious nature and history of the Sanatorium. Because of this people do not appreciate the historical and architectural importance of the complex and instead they use the place for activities that are just damaging the integrity of the property like “satanic” rites or spirit summoning but also massive activities as music concerts, paintball matches, movie and tv series filming that again just praise this assigned stigma of a place of paranormal activity and sending the wrong message to the population. Finally the state of deterioration and destruction the buildings and the lack of preservation policies made people believe they are entitled to keep with the destruction of the place so they write on the walls and use the spaces as public garbage dump since the place is perceived as an abandoned place. Nevertheless in the past years, the representative of the UPANACIONAL that lives in the property has demonstrated interest in the maintainemnt of the property so he along his family has started taking care of the surroundings of the complex which has made it more attractiv to external visitors. Still people going there, are visiting the architectural complex more for the pure enjoyment of being witness of paranormal activity rather the appreciation of the architectural and historic importance of the building.
Officialy by decret the 19th of Novemeber of 2014, thanks to the study made by the architects and the historians of the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural del Ministerio de Cultural, Jueventud y Deportes, the architectural complex of the Sanatorio Duran Cartín was listed as architectural heritage of Costa Rica,which helps with the protection of the building and the potential of future restoration projects which can retrieve the value to the project. The listing document126 cites numerous reasons why the complex was a canditate for listing from which the following ones can be highlighted: 1. The results of the historic-architecutural research made and the analysis of the existent values of the architectural complex denominated Antiguo Sanatorio Carlos Durán Cartín, have determined with certainity that one of the original buildings built there is still conserved, which already has 100 years of existence, and that the rest of the buildings that had approximatly 70 years of existence and that the architectural complex is part of the scenario of the historic process and evolution of the Costa Rican medical history. 2. That at the moment of construction the Antiguo Sanatorio Carlos Durán Cartín was the first and only medical center specialized in the treatment of tuberculosis not only in Costa Rica but in Central America, which shows that not only it is important for the national ambit but for the regional ambit, the region being benefited for many years by the services of the institution. 4. That the location of the facilities in the vicinities of the Irazú Volcano at higher altitutes answered to the medical requirements known in this period for the tuberculosis treatment and that in the construction of the facilities the details were taken care off, where such things as light exposition, natural ventilation and that the space could take care of the basic functional neccesitites were thought in detail. 8. That the Sanatorium contributed to the development of new town centers in the vicinities due to the increase in the job positions and the generation of economic activities in this center.
2.1.4 2014-2017 | Listing and restoration projects Despite being abandoned and in continous state of deterioration in the past 20 years after its permanent abandoning in the 90’s, the complex of buildings somehow keeps standing and with potential of refurbishment. Before its listing in 2014, the Sanatorium had transformed in a place people visited due to an interest in the “presence of paranormal activity” and an increase in the morbid perception an former Tuberculosis Sanatorium has in the collective imaginary, as a place of exclusion, suffering and death. In the past years the UPANACIONAL or La Unión de Pequeños
24 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 64.
26 Original Listing Document of the Sanatorio Duran Cartín
25 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 64
27 Project by Tesseract Architects 30
10. That the architectural complex is a compound of numerous architectural languages, constructive tecniques and materials from different years which throw light to the possibility of the study of different aspects from a scientific point of view. 11. That the different systems and constructive materials, as languages applied to the buildings showed the age of the buildings and are good examples of the historic moments in which these were built and allow to identify the relationship between these and the aesthetics values, trends, likes and uses of each period of time. The previous points are just a selected part of the the listing document that detailed 25 points of why this complex of buildings was important and is still important nowadays and why it should be protected and restored. As an effort to preserve architectural heritage in Costa Rica, the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural, each year has a contest called Salvemos Nuestro Patrimonio, were buildings that are listed as heritage are proposed to be restored. The projects of restoration are presented and designed by private architecture firms. In 2015 the project for the restoration of the Dining Hall of the Sanatorium was presented and won for its later restoration which was made during the years of 2015 to 2017. The winners of the contest were private firm Tesseract. The proposal seek to solve problems regarding water filtration due to the lack of drainage systems, windows and ceilings, additions to the architectural fabric that were not compatible with the original project. They also highlighted the problems the Sanatorium was facing due to uncontrolled visits, the deficiency of accesibility, security and service areas. Finally the were seeking to give the sanatorium opportunities to retrieve its historical value within a context where it had lost its protagonism due to the 2 presence of other economical activities.27 As main objetive of the intervention was to first begin with the restoration of the dining hall of the architectural complex with the sake that this is going to incentivate further restorations. As a second objective was to provide the sanatorium with accesibility elements to support visitation and the compliance of minimum requisites of the Costa
Fig. 40: Exterior appeareance of the dining hall before the restoration © Credits (Photograph by Tesseract Arquitectos).
Fig. 41: Master Plan proposed by Tesseract Architects for the contest Salvmenos Nuestro Patrimonio of the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio. Proposed programatic and use adaptations of the existent buildings. © Credits (Tesseract Arquitectos).
Fig. 42: Hall for visitors, physical state before the restoration project of the dining hall. © Credits (Photograph by Magaly Solís recovered from fotocomm
Fig. 43: Architectural Plan by Tesseract Architects for the contest Salvmenos Nuestro Patrimonio of the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio. Proposed interventions for the kitchen, dining hall and employee dining hall. © Credits (Tesseract Arquitectos). 31
Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo and several regulations by the CFIA Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos. And as a final objective was the enhancement of the building via a cafeteria and small shop that was going to contribute to the economical sustain and further maintainment of the buildings. The project took into consideration that already numerous actors had already diverse plans for the restoration of the several spaces of the Sanatorium which were considered for the general master plan proposed by Tesseract. All the proposals agreed that the sanatorium need an intervention as soon as possible at least in terms of preventive conservation to stop the deterioration of the complex and also that the sanatorium shoud reinvent itself by taking into consideration the actual activities of the area but that it should be an space that shoud work as an space of diffusion of the history of the institituion and the area where is located. The place should also work as a center were innovation and training regarding the activities present in the area are facilitated turning it once again in a development pole as it was in the past but adapating to the new processes that are happening nowadays by enhanicing values that were important during the bright years of the sanatorium as innovation and self sustainability. The general vision of the project proposed by Tesseract consisted in:128 1. Main Building (Administration Building): the most important building of the complex, the oldest and the most deteriotated one. The Centro de Patrimonio promised to invest in this building regarding the refurbishment of the ceiling structure. enclosure systems and damaged structure. Since the original program of the building was the one of administration and difussion of history of the Sanatorium, the implementation of a permanent exhibition was thought as compatible programatic activity for the space. 2. Restoration of the Church 3/4. Kitchen and dining Hall: to retrieve the original use. 5. Women and Children Pavillion: since the original program was the one of accomodation, and the architectural caractheristics of wide windows, wood floors and divided spaces, make it possible to turn it into possible accomodation spaces to support training and touristic activities. 6. Women Pensioneer Building: training and difussion space regarding agricultural and alternative energy activities. Since the building present a good integrity, concrete structure and
wide roof terrace it was thought to be ideal to hold this type of activities. 7. Laundry 8. Parking Space The restoration project focus in the spaces of the Dining Hall and the Kitchen. The team made an study of all the architectural elements, materials and integrity and raised a matrix of damages which help them to stablish the necessary interventations the building needed. The determined mainly problems regarding the deterioration of architectural enclosure, paint, ceiling structure, floors and electric and mechanic systems. The proposal involved the refurbishment of the original kitchen and dining hall for the general public and proposed the transformation the original employee dining hall in small exhibition area, small shop, kiosk and bathrooms. Finally the retrieved and original idea of joining the buildings by a roof that they thought as a light pergonal with transparent roof, by the incoporation of this roof a new small protected piazza is created for outdoor activities. Finally with the damage matrix they stabilished that was neccesary to eliminate later additions that were made to the original builidings that werent compatible, and the intervention in terms of painting, substitution of the ceiling, rain drainage system and hydro electric systems but that overall since the buildings were made of concrete the state was pretty good. As it was already mentioned, the restoration of the dining hall and kitchen of the complex was made and it has served its purpose of reactivating in a more controlled way the visitation of the sanatorium and it helps with the economical support of the complex. The other ideas that were proposed in the main vision have not been so long incorporated. The other parts of the complex as the Administration Building, Women and Children Pavillion, Church, Pensioneer Building and the remainings of the Men Pavillion and the doctor office remain untouched and in a constant process of deterioration. The visitation to the sanatorium is constant and that helps the complex to keep alive and keeps constant the interest of refurbishment but the lack of economical resources, private actors or investments interested in the restoration of the building and bureaucracy that surrounds the restoration discipline in Costa Rica do not help in the possibility of further restoration of this architectual complex. And in an intangible aspect, the lack of knowledge of the real importance of the complex just allow the stigma to grow more and people not caring about its integrity,
Fig. 44: Render view of design proposed by Tesseract Architects for the restoration of the Dining Hall of the Sanatorium, the glass roof was not built. © Credits (Render from Tesseract Architects).
Fig. 45: Render view of design proposed by Tesseract Architects for the restoration of the Dining Hall of the Sanatorium. © Credits (Render from Tesseract Architects).
28 Project by Tesseract Architects 32
Fig. 47: Hall for visits after de restoration of the dining hall. Photograph from 1940. © Credits (Photograph by Ardesa Arquitectura)
Fig. 46: Inauguration of the newly restored Kitchen and Dining Hall of the Sanatorium. © Credits (Photograph recovered from nación.com).
Fig. 48: Inauguration of the newly restored Kitchen and Dining Hall of the Sanatorium. © Credits (Photograph recoverd from cartagohoy.com).
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Fig. 49: Entrance to newly restored dining hall. © Credits (Photograph by Roberto Fernandez, 2017. Recovered from Sanatorio Duran: Historia y curiosidades facebook page).
Fig. 50: Restored hall, the pavement was maintained from the original design. © Credits (Photograph by Roberto Fernandez, 2017. Recovered from Sanatorio Duran: Historia y curiosidades facebook page).
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Fig. 51: Hallway between Hall Space and Dining Hall building, with skylight. © Credits (Photograph by Roberto Fernandez, 2017. Recovered from Sanatorio Duran: Historia y curiosidades facebook page).
Fig. 52: Exterior appeareance of the Dining Hall after the restoration. © Credits (Photograph by Ardesa Arquitectura)
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2.1.5 2017-Actuality | Current Situation After the restoration project of the dining hall and the kitchen, as it was already mentioned, the other buildings of the complex have remained untouched and in a constant process of deterioration. Currently the complex buildings present different level of deterioration, accesibility and integrity. Currently the complex is composed of: 1. From the original buildings of 1918 just the Administration Building remains standing but with a high level of deterioration and is not accesible to the public. The front corridor and atrium were demolished in some moment of the past years just remaining the foundations and the front stairs. Overall the exterior paint has washed out making visible numerous coats of paint and the state of the enclosure wood that seemed worned out. The glass of the windows are all broken and mostly inexistent and some openings are currently closed with steel or aluminium sheets. The drainage system is in bad state which has caused water filtration inside of the building which has affected the interior state of the building. Since the building is not accesible to the public is difficult to know the actual state of the spaces but it is know that from the original space distribution of 1918 and from the reconfiguration of the decade of 1930 some spaces remain the same but regarding materiality and safety the building present numerous problems making it not appropiate to allow visitors in. FInally late additions that were made in the past years are visible like the enclosure that was built to close the corridors of the two wings of the building that are not necessarily compatible with the building. From the original patient pavillions just the Men Pavillion remain since the Women Pavillion was demolished sometime between 1944 1 and 196629 , from the Men Pavillion which underwent diverse interventions along the years some ruins of the walls and the pavements are visible. 2. From the buildings that were built during the period of 1918 and 1937, the Church that was the original dining room has an overall good quality and is accesible to the public. The kitchen and dining hall that was built to substitute the space that was replaced by the church as it is already known was restored in the past years so it presents a really good state in terms of structure and is the only space in the whole complex which presents a daily use and a program compatible to the original one it was
intended to. The additions made to the Men Pavillion as the Nursury part are also in ruins and just some remains regarding the walls and the pavement are visible. The pensioneer building was demolished somtime in the past decades but is unknown the period in which this happen and currenlty nothing can be found of this building. Finally the Women and Children Pavillion is one of the other building that remains standing. Overall by exception of the gym and recreation places that were demolished the building is in good stated in terms of structure and is safe and accesible to the public. The exterior state present some accretions regarding the paint but the original white aspect remains. Some window openings are closed with concrete blocks and some spaces in the interior have been locked. The interior spaces states are diverse since some spaces are accesible and show good state in terms of materiality of the walls and pavements but others are locked and not accesible and some others are full of garbage. The roof terrace is in good state and is safe for people to access it. The connection that joined this building with the building of the dining hall is in good state just some windows are glass less. , with some later additions as they blocked the windows openings concrete blockes but overall is in good state and accesible and some rooms have been victims of garbage dumps. 3. Finally from the buildings done after 1937 the Women Pensioneer Building remains in good state, it is said that since it was closed to the public early in the abandoment of the complex actually maintains an overall good state and integrity. Finally the doctors house remain standing but deterioration of the structure and the exterior facade details are visible. Generally, all buildings present graffiti outside and inside in the walls as sgns of vandalism that people have caused in the past years to the complex. But even thought there are high level of deterioration and damages in almost all the buildings of the complex is visible the quality of architecture, materials and structure systems the buildings present and were used to built them, like the diverse types of traditional pavements that are visible across the whole complex. Finally in the past years the UPANACIONAL representative knowing that people are going to visit daily the complex has taken some action in the landscape maintainment which can be visible in the green area of the complex. But still far from restoration necessities the complex also needs interventions regarding accessibility and safety.
Fig. 53: Administration Building current state, the demolition of the front corridor and atrium is visible, is unknown in which period of years happened. © Credits (Photograph recovered from fotopaises.com, 2018) GF
29 Vives, “Sanatorio Duran”, 60. 36
Fig. 54: Front stairs of the entrance of the Church, current state. The church despite being closed and unused remains in a good physical state. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 55: Courtyard between Church and Dining Hall, the space is part of the actions the UPANACIONAL takes in the maintenance of the green areas of the sanatorium. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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Fig. 56: Current appeareance of the Women and Children Pavillion, it maintainsa good integrity despite its unused Some changes and additions where made to the facade throughout the last years. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 57: Main entrance of the Women and Children Pavillion, the top part corresponds to the terrace of the first floor. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
38
Fig. 58: Chemical - Bacteriological Laboratory inside the Women and Children Pavillion current state . © Credits (Photograph by Museo + UCR, recovered from ucr.ac.cr) https://www.ucr.ac.cr/noticias/2015/05/07/exposicion-trae-historia-del-sanatorio-duran-a-la-ucr.html.
Fig. 59: Main connective hallway between dining hall and Women and Children Pavillion current state . © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
39
2.1.6 Redraw Original Plans
2021 Redraw Ground Level
Administration Building Architect : Lucas Fernandez Mechanical engineer, author of an extense and various works. Colaborated in the construction of the Edificio Metálico (Escuela Buenaventura Corrales), one of the most important buildings of San Jose, which prometed the urban change of the city of San José. In 1894 Fernandez contributed with the construction of the church of Grecia which is built in a metalic structure imported from Belgium. Participated in the bidding process of the construction of the National Theater of Costa Rica, which is the most important historic building of the capital city of Costa Rica. Was a founder member fo the Facultad Técnica de la República which is the antecedent of the Engineering Faculty of the Universidad de Costa Rica and of the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitetos de Costa RIca.
15.
16.
24.
17.
14.
23. 28.
18. 2.
Years of Construction:
3.
7.
22. 28. 19.
1.
Original Project 1915-1918 Significant changes in 1937 with the arrival of the Hermanas de la Caridad de Sant Ana. Restoration of the Kitchen and Dining Hall in 2015-2017.
13. 4.
5.
6.
28.
19.
21.
20.
28.
8.
12.
Materials
9.
Wood (balloon frame system), bahareque, brick masonry, concrete
10.
Architectural Language Mix between traditional Costa Rican achitecture, victorian architecture and the system of balloon frame.
11.
Current State The main building is currently closed to the public by mandate of the Ministerio de Salud since it was declared unsafe for public access. The building has been abandoned since 1990 when the Adaptation Throught out the years of abandonment the buidling has suffered some deterioration affectations caused by unuse and environmental conditions but also vandalism.
Former and Existent Architectural Program 1. Front Corridor 2. Director’s Office 3. Treatment Room 4. Administration Office 5. Telegraph Office 6. Statistics Office 7. Pharmacy 8. Doctor’s Dinnig Room 9. Radiography 10. X Rays 11. Laboratory 12. Storage 13. Church
Fig. 60: Ground Floor Plan Administration Building, redraw from original plans.
40
14. Dentist 15. Doctor’s Office 16. Operating Room 17. Sterilization Room 18. Hallway 19. Dining Room 20. Kitchen 21. Storage 22. Bathroom 23. Hall 24. Store 25. Hall 26. Rooms 27. Storage 28. Bathrooms
0
First Level
5
10
15 m
Roof Plan
26.
27. 28.
25. 26.
27.
Fig. 61: First Floor Plan Administration Building, redraw from original plans.
Fig. 62: Roof Plan Administration Building, redraw from original plans. 0
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10
15 m
2021 Redraw West Facade
Fig. 63: West facade Administration Building redraw
42
0 South Facade
Fig. 64: South facade Administration Building, Church and Restored Dining Hall
North Facade
Fig. 65: North facade Administration Building. redraw
43
5
10
15 m
Women and Children Pavillion Architect : Teodorico Quiros Presumed Architect due to theories that the designed of the building coincides with a project this architect drafted in the early 30’s. Years of Construction:
Former and Existent Architectural Program
Original Project 1937 Significant changes in 1978-1998 with the demolition of some spaces.
1. Hall 2. Office 3. X Ray 4. Bathrooms 5. Employee Dining 6. Kitchen 7. Dormitories 8. Patient Dining 9. Nurse Room 10. Observation 11. School 12. Storage
Materials Wood, concrete Architectural Language Mix between traditional costa rican achitecture, victorian architecture and functional rationalist architecture. Current State
Plans 2016
Building abandoned and without use, but open to public and in considerable good state of integrity.
2021 Redraw Roof Plan
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
LOSA EN NIVEL 2
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
LAMINAS DE HG CON PRESENCIA DE ÓXIDO
Fig. 66: RoofPlanta plan, Women and Children Pavillion. redraw from original plans. de ubicación de bajante ESTADO ACTUAL Y DAÑOS Esc 1:100 PABELLÓN DE MUJERES Y NIÑOS CAÑO EXPUESTO
CAÑO EXPUESTO
DIENTE
PENDIENTE 1%
CAÑO EXPUESTO PENDIENTE 1%
CAÑO INTERNO
CAÑO EXPUESTO PENDIENTE 1%
44
CAÑO EXPUESTO PENDIENTE 1%
PENDIENTE 1%
CAÑO EXPUESTO
PENDIENTE 1%
CAÑO EXPUESTO
CAÑO INTERNO 35 cm PENDIENTE 1%
SECTOR DE CAÑO SIN LOSA
TAPA DE REGISTRO
Ground Floor 0
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Fig. 67: Ground Floor, Women and Children Pavillion. redraw from original plans.
First Floor
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Fig. 68: First Floor, Women and Children Pavillion. redraw from original plans. 0
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2021 Redraw North Facade
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Fig. 69: North Facade Women and Children Pavillion. redraw
South Facade
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Fig.70: South Facade Women and Children Pavillion. redraw
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11
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East Facade
West Facade
AB
D
CD
Fig. 71: East Facade Women and Children Pavillion. redraw
C
B
Fig. 72: West Facade Women and Children Pavillion. redraw
47
A
5
10
15 m
2.1.7 Architectural Complex: Summary schemes 1915-1918 | Construction
1918-1937 | New Buidlings Built in between 1918-1937
Built in those years
Refurbished between 1918 -1937 Original from 1918
7 4 4
8
1
1
2
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2
6
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3
1. Administration Building 2. Kitchen and Dining 3. Women Pavillion 4. Men Pavillion
0
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1. Administration Building 2. Church 3. Women Pavillion 4. Men Pavillion 5. Kitchen and Dining Hall
100 m
Fig.73: Urban Scheme, original design Sanatorio Duran 1915.
6. Laundry 7. Men observation wing 8. New Women and Children Pavillion
Fig.74: Urban Scheme, later additions Sanatorio Duran 1937.
48
0
20
40
60
80
100 m
1940-1973 | The Sanatorium and its last decades
2014-2017 | Listing and restoration projects
Built in between 1940 - 1973
Built in between 1940 - 1973
Built in between 1918-1937
Built in between 1918-1937
Refurbished between 1918 -1937
Refurbished between 1918 -1937
Original from 1918
Original from 1918
Demolished 1944-1966
Restored in 2015-2017 Abandoned with structural integrity Abandoned and in ruins Demolished and unexistent
7
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6
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1. Administration Building 2. Church 3. Women Pavillion 4. Men Pavillion 5. Kitchen and Dining Hall 6. Laundry
7. Men observation wing 8. New Women and Children Pavillion 9. Women pensioner 10. Men pensioner 11. Doctor’s House
7
0
20
40
60
80
1. Administration Building 2. Church 3. Kitchen and Dining 4. Men Pavilion 5. Men observation wing
100 m
Fig.75: Urban Scheme, Sanatorio Duran during the decades of 1940-1970.
6. Women and Children Pavilion 7. Women Pensioner
Fig.76: Urban Scheme, current situation Sanatorio Duran.
49
0
20
40
60
80
100 m
2.1.8 Architectural Complex: Summary schemes 1915-1918 | Construction
1918-1937 | New Buidlings Built in between 1918-1937
Built in those years
Refurbished between 1918 -1937 Original from 1918
Fig.77: Urban Scheme, axonometric diagram, original design Sanatorio Duran 1915.
Fig.78: Urban Scheme, axonometric diagram , later additions Sanatorio Duran 1937.
50
1940-1973 | The Sanatorium and its last decades
2014-2021 | Listing and restoration projects
Built in between 1940 - 1973
Built in between 1940 - 1973
Built in between 1918-1937
Built in between 1918-1937
Refurbished between 1918 -1937
Refurbished between 1918 -1937
Original from 1918
Original from 1918
Demolished 1944-1966
Restored in 2015-2017 Abandoned and in ruins Demolished and unexistent
Fig.79: Urban Scheme, axonometric diagram, Sanatorio Duran during the decades of 1940-1970.
Fig.80: Urban Scheme, axonometric diagram, current situation Sanatorio Duran.
51
52
2.3 Space and Use
Existent Complex Buildings considered for evaluation
2.3.1 Analysis of the space and use: original vs now
Symbology Administration Building Church Women and Children Pavillion Kitchen and Dining
For the space and use analysis, the research is going to focus in the development of the administration building and the evolution of the original patient pavillions from the original project of 1915 - 1918, to their demolition to the construction of a new pavillion in the 1930’s. For the admininistration building the analysis of the spaces is divided in 3 years, 1918 which is the original conclusion of the building, 1937 where it suffered some changes in the architecutral program and in the morphology and finally is contrasted with the existent building in 2021. For the Women and Children pavillion, the same 3 years are considered, by the exception that for the year 1918 and the 1937 is analysed the original pavillion transformation and for the year 1937 and the 2021 the Women and Children Pavillion transformations are considered, the reason of contrasting these two buildings is that programatically they were intented for the same use but they showed how the architecture volume can evolved to hold the same functions but with new spatial demands. The spaces is analysed by a series of color schemes that show the spaces and the uses and how these ones transformed throughout the years and how new spaces were incorporated, demolished or transformed to the architectural project. For the administration building comparisons regarding the facade are made due to the high amount of transformations the building underwent along the years of funtioning, arriving to nowadays where the state of deterioration is highly visible. Finally a series of schemes comparing circulation, entrances, type of spaces, and servant/service spaces are made for the 3 years of analysis. For the patient pavillions the same comparisons are applied for the better understanding of the trasnsformations. Fig. 81: Aereal view of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran, 2018. © Credits (Photograph by Jason Fernandez Rojas, 2018).
Fig. 82: Complex plan, buildings considered in evaluation.
53
0
20
40
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100 m
Fig. 83: Original design of the front corridor of the Administration Building, 1915 © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Fig. 84: Main Hallway space of the Administration Building, the original design lead to the patient dining room. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural)
54
Fig. 85: Dormitories in the Children Pavillion. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Fig. 86: Kitchen in the years of the functioning of the Sanatorium. The photo corresponds to the second kithcen and dining hall the Sanatorium had that was built in the decade of the 20s. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
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Fig. 87: Current state of the main hall of the administration building, ground floor. Currently the spaces remain unused and closed to the public. © Credits (Photograph recoverd from tripadvisor.com).
Fig. 88: Current state of the spaces of the ground floor of the administration building. Overall of the building remains unused and closed to the public due to structural proble,s. © Credits (Photograph recoverd from tripadvisor.com)
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Fig. 89: Attic of the administration building, know as “El Pirata”, due to the fact nuns used to use the space for their dormitories and could have a visibility of all the complex from this point. . © Credits (Photograph recoverd from tripadvisor.com).
Fig. 90: (Photograph recoverd from tripadvisor.com).
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Fig. 91: The vertical circulation of the Women and Children Pavillion is still functional and safe. The interior walls of the Pavillion have been marked by several graphitti and material deterioration is visible. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 92: Hallways of the Women and Children Pavillion current state. The linear design of the pavillion eases the current circulation where people wonder through the pavillion appreciation the current state of the rooms, some are open the other are closed and sealed. The walls of the hallways have been marked by several graphitti and the deterioration in the material surface is visible. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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Fig. 93: Former patient rooms current state in the Women and Children Pavillion, the building remains opened but unused and in abandonment, which has caused an ongoing process of deterioration . © Credits (Photograph recovered from Foro Activo Terror Urbano).
Fig. 94: Former patient rooms current state in the Women and Children Pavillion, the building remains opened but unused and in abandonment, which has caused an ongoing process of deterioration, in some rooms this is the scenario, were the rooms have become a garbage dump. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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2.3.1.1 Administration Building
1918
Ground Level
First Level 1:300
0
5
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15 m
Spaces and Uses Front Corridors Dining Room Doctor’s Dining Servant’s Dining Kitchen Recreation Library Admin Office Doctor’s Office Observation Rooms Bathrooms Storage Spaces Rooms
Fig.95: Space and Use diagrams Administration Building in 1918, 1937 and 2021.
0
5
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1937
2021
First Level 1:300
First Level 1:300
Ground Level
Ground Level
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Spaces and Uses Front Corridors Dining Room Doctor’s Dining Kitchen Admin Office Doctor’s Office Medical Program Bathrooms Storage Spaces Rooms Church Pharmacy Hall
Spaces and Uses
0
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Abandoned and closed Church (closed) Dining Room (restored) Kitchen Storage Bathrooms Hall Store Plaza
15 m
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1918 Circulation
1937 Circulation
2021 Circulation
Main Axis
Not accesible due to insecurity problems.
1918 Spaces
1937 Spaces
2021 Spaces
Private Public Semiprivate Common
Private Public Semiprivate Common
Private Public Semiprivate Common
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Not accesible due to insecurity problems. Fig.96: Space and Use diagrams Administration Building in 1918, 1937 and 2021.
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1918 Entrances
1937 Entrances
2021 Entrances
Not accesible due to insecurity problems.
1918 Servant and Served Spaces
1937 Servant and Served Spaces
Served Servant
2021 Servant and Served Spaces paces
Served Servant
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Not accesible due to insecurity problems.
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2.3.1.2 Patient Pavillion - Women and Children Pavillion
1918
1937
Men Pavilion 1:400
Men Pavilion 1:400
Spaces and Uses
Spaces and Uses
Pensioner Room Patient Rooms Isolation Bathrooms Rooms Nurse Room Medical Rooms
Corridors Closed Room Patient Rooms Bathrooms Changing Rooms
Women Pavilion 1:400
Women Pavilion 1:400 Spaces and Uses
Spaces and Uses
Corridors Closed Room Patient Rooms Bathrooms Changing Rooms
Pensioner Room Patient Rooms Isolation Bathrooms Rooms Nurse Room
0
Fig.97: Space and Use diagrams Women and Children Pavillion in 1918, 1937 and 2021.
0
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Women and Children Pavillion1937
Women and Children Pavillion 2021
First Level 1:400
First Level 1:400
Abandoned in good state
Ground Level 1:400
Ground Level 1:400
Abandoned in good state
Spaces and Uses
Spaces and Uses
Bathrooms Children Rooms Children Dining Employee Dinig Kitchen Rooms Office School Gym Storage Terrace
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Bathrooms Children Rooms Children Dining Employee Dinig Kitchen Rooms Office School Gym Storage Terrace
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2021 Circulation
Closed
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2021 Spaces
Private Public Semiprivate Common
Private Public Semiprivate Common 0
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Closed
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15 m
Closed
15 m
Closed
Fig.98: Space and Use diagrams WOmen and Children Pavillion in 1937 and 2021.
66 0
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15 m
1937 Entrances
2021 Entrances
1937 Servant and Served Spaces
2021 Servant and Served Spaces
Served Servant
Served Servant
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Closed
67 0
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Level of Ruin and Integrity
High
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Habitability and Safety
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Not a ruin
Low Habitability
Level of deterioration and structre integrity
Medium Habitabililty
High Habitability
Safe
Level of habitability and structural safety
Fig.99: Axonometric diagrams space and use complex Sanatorio Duran
68
Not Safe
Accesibility (universal)
Program Obsolesence (could be repurposed)
Accesible
In use with original program it was designed
Not Accesible Level of universal accessibility
In use with other program it was designed
Not in use, could be re use with original program
Program Obsolesence
69
Not in use
3. EVALUATION 3.1 Values
3.1.1 Tangible Values 3.1.1.1 Architectural Value: Presence of different materialities, architectural languages, constructive methods in the complex. The complex as it is mentioned in the document of the listing130 of the Sanatorium, is an important part of the scenario of the historic process and the evolution not only of Costa Rica medicine but also Costa Rica architecture. The Sanatorium could be perceived as a reflection of how architecture developed in Costa Rica, due to the fact that is until the early years of the 20th century that new architecture styles begin to imported and reinterpreted in Costa Rica, so an evolution from colonial architecture to other types fo styles begins to happen. The Sanatorium is a reflection of this, because since its inauguration in 1918, until these days, only one hundred years have passed but in this complex several architecture languages, constructive techniques, materialities and more from different periods can be found, which transforms the complex in a place of scientific and research interest which funtions as a sort of catalogue for the professionals from different study brances of nowadays, in order to study and understand the different processes of architecture in the country. Also the different architecture styles show how not only the Sanatorium seeked for the best options to provide good health services, but also adapted to what was recognized and legitimized as architecture imagery in those periods’ socities but also how architecture responds to political, social and cultural demands. Also several aspectes as fu nction, form and materiales are still recognizable despite the abandonment of the complex, which demostrates that no matter the pass of time and the disuse authenticity is still conserved since this value can be reinforced when compared what is currently there with the original plans and designs. The presence of diverse architectural languages as the ones shown in the pictures like the ballon frame system of the administration building,
the eclectic style of the Women and Children Pavillion mixing functional rationalism, traditional costa rican architecture, etc... and the visible characteristics of the functional rationalism and modern architcture of the Pensioneer building, make the Sanatorium complex worthy of preserving. The current state of abandonment is causing ongoing damage in the several buildings of the complex, but few initiatives to preserve the architectural complex are working for its conservation, since the architectural value is recognized and aknowledge. But now the other challenge is how to make people to recognize the real social and historic value the sanatorium deserves.
Fig. 100: Balloon frame system of the Administration Building, original project 1918. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Fig. 101: Women and Children Pavillion built in a functional rationalism language adapted to the Costa Rican context. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Fig. 102: Pensioneer building in construction around the year 1940. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
30 Original Listing Document of the Sanatorio Duran Cartín 70
3.1.1.2 Physical Value: Actual state of the building, it makes it attractive to visitors The current state of the architectural complex gives a physical value to the place. The different appearences the material surfaces of the buildings have turns the sanatorium in a living catalogue of all the periods of the times the complex have been through. The materiality currently shows levels of deterioration, this have to be consider as a problematic issue that has to be treated in a future conservation strategy proposal but more than a problematic it has to be considered as a potential aspect to enhance as it tells the story of the building. The current state of the buildings make them attractive to people, the different shades of paint, the different aspects of deterioration, the presence of graffiti’s as a result of vandalism or of artistic expression give the walls and the spaces of the Sanatorium a unique appeareance that has to be valued and enhance. It is important to consider that despite the current appeareance being taken as a potential aspect to enhance its also a result of deterioration so the understanding of this appeareance and a catalogue of the state of the surfaces has to be made in order to conserve the building patina of age. Restoring to a former original state should not be an option, the condition of worn out and emptyness are the aspects that have allowed the sanatorium to be kept alive with some reminiscence to the former original values and with some new added values.
Fig. 103: Administration Building materiality contrast and current state. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja Matamoros, 2019).
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3.1.1.3 Landscape Value: Context in which is located the architectural complex The complex as it was already explained in the first chapter of this booklet is located in the province of Cartago, specifically between the districts of Tierra Blanca and Oreamuno. This area is characterized by the rich natural landscape with green mountains, dense forests and a particular rainy and cold climate. The complex of the Sanatorium is located close to the surroundings of the Irazú Volcano, which is part of the Cordillera Volcánica Central of Costa Rica, which divides the country’s territory in half and functions as a natural barrier between the atlantic part and the pacific part of the country. Close to the Irazú Volcano, the Bosque de Prusia can be found, which can be accesed from the same entrance that leads to the Sanatorium. The whole area can be understood as the Parque Nacional Volcan Irazú- Sector Prusia, and currently functions as a touristic destination, thanks to the on going growth of ecotourism industry in Costa Rica, and inserted in this area is the Sanatorio Duran. The area, according to statistics of the SINAC (Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservación), during 2014 received 1600 monthly visitors, mainly during the weekend, and during the year 2015 the National Park received around 18 000 annual visitors, and 1 they projected and ongoing growth in the visitation.31 Originally as it was mentioned in the previous chapter, the place was selected due to its particular conditions regarding climate, altitude, air quality and more that were taken into account as requirements for the placing of the Sanatorium. Throughout all the years the Sanatorium was functioning there, the natural context was one of the most important features of the high quality treatments the patients were receiving there. Later, researchers of the disease discovered the high altitudes and other aspects were no longer necessary for the treatment of the disease, which caused that the Sanatorium began slowly to convert in an obsolete place for tuberculosis treatments which then later cause its closing and later abandonment. In the glory years of the sanatorium, the natural context was an important aspect, but currently despite the sanatorium no longer functioning as an actual sanatorium, but more as a touristic destination, the natural context is still of great importance which made the complex on of a kind destination to visit. Also, as it was already mentioned, the ongoing growth of the ecotourism industry in the
country has smoothed the way for the area to adapt to this new industry where the national park of the Irazú Volcano, the Prusia forrest, the Sanatorium and other attractions in the area are visited on a daily basis. Finally the placing of the Sanatorium eased the creation of new town centers which mainly dedicated to agro pastoral activities, which remained until these days, being one of the cooperatives of the are the owners of the land where the Sanatorium is built. So no only the tourism activities but the agriculture ones make the area a high funtioning place, with high potential for the future, and finally makes the surroundings of the Sanatorium quite attractive and of high importance.
Fig. 104: Natural landscape surrounding the buildings of the complex. The Sanatorium is located in the surroundings of the Irazú Volcano which is part of one of the most important mountain ranges in Costa Rica, La cordillera volcánica central. The area was selected by the Sanatorium board due to the natural qualities that it had. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
31 COOPRENA R.L, “Perfil de inversión para la oportunidad turística identificada en el Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú”, 8. 72
3.1.2 Intangible Values 3.1.2.1 Architectural Value: Only architecture complex of this nature in Costa Rica. In the moment of the creation of the Sanatorium, there was no health center that treated the disease of tuberculosis in Costa Rica. It was by the initiative of the Dr. Carlos Duran Cartín and from his personal experience of dealing with the disease through his daughter, that the interest of creating an institution of this kind in Costa Rica grew. In 1915 when the Sanatorium Board was created with the objective of the design and construction of the Sanatorium, it was considered as an innovative project for the country. The Sanatorium complex unique in the Costa Rican context since there is no other complex with these features in the country, there are other health centers mainly in the capital city of San José and in other town centers, but an architectural complex of this importance as the Sanatorium is unique. Since its completion and inaguration in 1915, the Sanatorium takes head in the development of medicine in Costa Rica even positioning the Sanatorium as a place of innovation in the treatment of tuberculosis at a central american level, and it was catalogued as a high excellence center in Latin America, it was thought a health 1 center of the first world located in America.32 Its architecture is unique because from the original design from 2015 that as it is already known was inspired in the Eudowood Sanatorium, which was designed with the requirements a health center of this type needed in that moment, through out the years of its functioning, several new buildings which responded a new requierements were added, but also each of these new buildings responding to the architecture languages and techinques of the period they wre designed. The previous statement gives notice to the fact that the sanatorium is a built catalogued which functions as a testimony of Costa Rican architecture development making it a unique complex in the country.
Fig. 105: Aereal view of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran. © Credits (Photograph by Jason Fernandez Rojas, 2018). 32 Pablo Barquero Morice, “Jugando en el Sanatorio Durán, entre la exclusión y la inclusión social,” Revista Herencia , no. 30 (2017): 3. 73
3.1.2.2 Historical Value: Important for the history of Costa Rica and Central America. The Sanatorium as it was mentioned in the previous chapter of this booklet was created after the initiative of the Dr Carlos Duran whom studied the disease and saw the importance of developing a medical center which could treat the disease in the country since the people ill from it needed to go outside of the country mainly to the United States since not only Costa Rica lacked of this kind of health center but also Central America itself. The Sanatorium was created in a period were the governments of Costa Rica and the politicians were interested in the development and innovation of the health system of the country. Several politicians were health professionals, mainly doctors that normally studied abroad and arrived to Costa Rica to exercise the profession but also bringing knowledge fom the exterior. During the late 1800’s and the beginning ot the 1900’s several health institutions were created as the Sanatorio Duran, the Asilo Chapuí and the Escuela de Enfermeria, that they were accompanied by the creation of several new policies that reformed the Costa Rican health system. The Sanatorium itself has an historic value since it not only works as a built architecture catalogue but there is enough information and history from the research and studies that were made there in matters of medical advancements, patient treatments, and more. The Sanatorium consists a very important part of the medical historiy of the country, and during the years of its functioning was a very important institution that normally was priority the government budgets were several investments were made not only to fulfill with the infrastructure requirements but also to train the human resource. Unfortunatetly with the improvement and development of the health system and new discoveries in the treatment of the tuberculosis the Sanatorium became obsolete which led to its closure.
Fig. 106: Chemical - Bacteriological Laboratory inside the Women and Children Pavillion 1940 © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural.).
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3.1.2.3 Social Value: Perception in the collective imaginary In the moment of its conception and during the years of its functioning the sanatorium had several social perceptions, from a place of exclusion that treated the so fearsome tuberculosis disease from an exterior point of view to a place where several people got cured and spent part of their lives. Also the people working there called the place home, little kids that grew there, currently remebered their experiences there. Finally from a professional point of view, the Sanatorium was considered a place of innovation and technical development in the health ambit. Several testimonies from the people being treated there doesnt remebered as a place of suffering and death unlike the perspective the outsiders or the rest of the society had of the place, that they thought was a place were people suffered and died. Unfortunately this perception and stigmatization of the place arrived to nowadays and have some how eclipsed the original value of the Sanatorium as a place of healing and treatment. From a social point of view, currently the Sanatorium is considered as place where paranormal activity is present and mainly people go to the place to experience this. To see ghosts, to feel bad energies, to hear scary noises, and to try to capture these experiences are the main goals of the people going there. To the point numerous groups in social media as Facebook and Instagram can be found were people share there experiences. Few are the people that go there to appreciat the historic and architectural value of the Sanatorium complex. The Social value currently assigned to the Sanatorium keeps it alived, and has kept active the interest on keeping the complex, but the question is how compatible is this new social value with the architectural complex and how damaging or not is to it. From an architectural point of view, the condition of emptiness has enhanced this new social value, the condition of abandonment also. The emptiness of the building has created new ways of experiencing the spaces, and unlike other ruined buildings, the Sanatorium buildings are not being programatically used but they are being used from wondering type of experience. The new social value is considered as an important value for the evaluation of the project, but the challenge lies in how to merge this current new social value while enhancing and revaluing the former social value which corresponds to the historic and architectural aspects of the building.
Fig. 107: Exterior view of the Administration Building, current state of the exterior parts of the buildings. Nowadays people visit the complex as day trips with their families, the complex have adequated picnic areas and recreation parts.. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja Matamoros, 2019).
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3.2 Problematic Issues 3.2.1 Tangible problems 3.2.1.1 Abandoment and level of deterioration Even though part of the original buildings from the 1918 project and the 1930’s and 1940’s intervention still remain, the overall state of state of the architectural complex is concerning. As it was already explained in the history of transformation of the buildings chapter, the buildings in the complex present different levels of deterioration, abandonment and ruin. For the focus of the evaluation, only the buildings of the Administration Building and the Women and Children Pavillion are going to be considered since they are part from the most important years of the history of the Sanatorium and also present interesting possibilities for future restoration. The Administration Building, presents good structural integrity, the original fabric of the building almost remains untouched by exception of some additions that were made between the decades of 1920’s and 1940’s. The actual stated of the building with the appeareance of worned out wood and diverse coats of washed paint give the building a unique appearence that shows the sign of time and the different periods of life this building has experienced, from the original project of 1918 to the current years.Sadly the building is not accesibly to the public since it was decided by the authorities to be closed due to the fact it is no safe to access because of the current state of the structure. The Centro de Patrimonio has expressed interest in a proposal for the restoration of the building and has some plans of possible re use and reactivation of the building. But due to burocracy problemas and lack of economical resources it has not been possible to effectuate this intervention which has caused for the building to stay in constant deterioration and abandoment. The current appereance of the building show different additions that were made to the building that are not compatible with the original design of the building, and in case of proposing a scenario where is proposed the restoration of the building this additions should be considered to delete or not from the current fabric of the building. For the building of the Women and Children Pavillion it can be said that it also maintains a good structural integrity and also the original materials and structure from the original project remain the same. It is currently the only building that is accesible to the public since the other buildings that are accessible
The roofs were made in a galvanized iron roof tiles painted in black. The attic window at first was from the same dimension as the central window of the first floor.
is because the fact they are in a ruin like state so there is no roof that could fall over. This building maintains mostly of the structural integrity, it is safe to access to both the ground floor and the first floor and finally to the roof terrace. Some spaces have been locked to the public and are basically garbage dump spaces, the rest of the rooms are accesible and are attractive due to its different light quality, writings in the walls, and different signs of time that tell the story of the building. The state of ruin of the complex is what makes it attractive to the hundreds of people that go there daily. The buildings even though are abandoned are alive, people are going there to experience the old sanatorium infrastructure, but they are attracted to the state of deterioration the complex presents. Nevertheless, no matter if the sanatorium complex is alive and it holds interest in people, the reality is that no matter if the context is being taken off, the buildings are in a constant process of deterioration, people have this sense of ownership for the infrastructure and cause damage without actually thinking how damaging is for the buildings, and this constant process of deterioration could lead to the possibility of collapsing of the buildings. The neccesity of at least preventive preservation of the complex arises. The question is: maintining the ruin state of the buildings is the best option for the Sanatorium future? Since the actual complex works and is keeping alive because of this. What other scenarios could be proposed.
Facade built in wood, originally painted in a light green oil paint. The windows were made from wood frames painted in white. Front corridor made from wood elements. The corridor is a common space in the
Simple stairway cement stairs and wood frame
Fig. 108:Main facade Administration Building, 1915. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural)
Currently the roof shows signs of deterioration and rust, the original black paint is unexistent. The attic window suffered a transformation becoming bigger since it can be observed the presence of two windows opening instead only one. There is water filtration due to the deterioriation of the drainge system. The original soft green color of the facade seems that was changed for a yellow color, which also shows signs of deterioration. The windows show great deterioriation with some glass being unexistent, and some other openings have been closed with aluminium sheets, still this hasnt stopped the filtration of water. Front corridor has been demolished, currently just the foundations of the structure remain. The paint of this part of the facade is almost gone showing the worn out wood and the level of deterioration.
Fig. 109: Main facade Administration Building, current situation. © Credits (Photograph recovered from i.pinimg.com)
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The structure of the stairway was later changed for a concrete structure with concrete pillars instead of the wood frame. Currently the structure is unexistent and just the stairs remain. Nature has invaded the area.
The roofs were made in a galvanized iron roof tiles painted in black. The attic window at first was from the same dimension as the central window of the first floor.
The church which was originally the dining hall of the first building of the Sanatorium, maintained the ballon frame system but some changes like the incorporation of a Cross on top of the roof was added. Also some parts are built in bahareque and adobe, which is quite traditional from Costa Rican architecture.
The wings of the main administration buildings originally had a front corridor with wood columns.
The front stairs were also changed to highlight the entrance and were buid in concrete and incorporated a balustrade.
The building was lifted from the ground which gave the possibility of using the spaces below for administration and stostorage purposes.
The windows remained the same from the original building.
The front garden was maintain.
Fig. 112: Church Stairway. The Hermanas de la Caridad arrived to the Sanatorium 1935, which converted the dining hall of the original building in a church. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Fig. 110: Main facade Administration Buidling, 1915. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural)
Currently the roof shows signs of deterioration and rust, the original black paint is unexistent. The attic window suffered a transformation becoming bigger since it can be observed the presence of two windows opening instead only one. There is water filtration due to the deterioriation of the drainge system.
The current condition of the church is quite well compared to other places of the complex. In terms of materiality and integrity it still has presence of the original aspect. The front stairs also mantain their integrity.
The front corridor of the original building is now unexistent, and was later closed to enlarge the indoor spaces, a series of windows were added but somehow they are not well balanced with the facade.
The windows present a different aspect from the original phot, were is visible that the divisions changed from 2 to 3 squares.
The spaces below of the building remain existent but they are unaccessible due to insecurity issues.
The front garden is abandoned and bad maintained. Fig. 111 :Main facade Administration Buidling, current situation. © Credits (Photograph recovered from i.pinimg.com)
Fig. 113 :Church stairway, current situation. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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The roofs were made in a galvanized iron roof tiles painted in red. The drainage system was also in galvanized iron apparently also painted in red.
The connection between the basement of the administration building and the dining hall was built in the interventions made after 1918. It had columns made of concrete with a neoclassical capitel and tradition Costs Rican mosaic
The pavillion was built in concrete and had a coat of plaster and white paint. The building responded to a mix of functional rationalism architecture with victorian like roofs.
It is visible in the back the original men pavillion and the connection hall between the administration building and this other area.
The windows were wide and the frames were made of wood.
For the sanatorium the presence of light and ventilation in the interior spaces was very important so the incorporation of interior courtyards was a must.
The main entrance of the building was preceded by a big staircase which gave heirachy and made visible the main entrance. On top of the main entrance in the roof terrace is visible which had great quality pavements and great views to the surrounding context.
Fig. 116:Main facade Women and Children Pavillion, 1940. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural)
Fig. 114: Hallway and corridor of new building that had the kitchen and the dining hall, 1920’s © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Currently the roof shows signs of deterioration and rust, the original red paint still remains with signs of washing. The drainage system is deteriorated which causes filtration of water to the interior of the building.
Currently this area was restored in the intervention of 2014-2017 of thed dining hall and kitchen. Before that the structure was overall in good state, so as part of the intervention painting and some refurbishment of the ceiling and pavements was neccesary.
The concrete structure of the building shows still good integrity, but the outside coat of plaster and white paint is quite deteriorated and with signs of humidity.
Currently the original men pavillion is not existent since it was demolished. In the back just the connection between the buildings is visible and the newly refurbished dining hall can be seen.
The windows of the building show big signs of deterioration, most of the glass are unexistent, the wood frames show affectation due to humidity and termites. Also some openings have been closed with concrete block which affects the appearence of the building.
The courtyard is well maintained as all the green open areas surrounding the Sanatorium are kept by the owners and keepers of the property.
The main entrance remains accesible as the roof terrace. The staircase leading to it still remains in great state.
Fig. 117:Main facade Women and Children Pavillion. © Credits (Photograph Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 115: Restored hallway and corridor of building of kitchen and dining hall. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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The connection wall between the Women and Children Pavillion to the dining hall and the other buildings of the Men pavillion area. It was an enclosed passage following the appearence of the Women and Children Pavillion.
The pavillion was built in concrete and had a coat of plaster and white paint. The building responded to a mix of functional rationalism architecture with victorian like roofs.
it was built in concrete with the exterior coat of plaster and white paint. The frame windows were also made in wood.
The windows were wide and the frames were made of wood. The building had a longitudinal disposition, with orientation to the south to get the most daylight as possible in the rooms which were located in the south part of the building.
In the back it can be observed the eruption of the Irazu Volcano in 1963, which didnt affect directly the Sanatorium but the proximity of the volcano to the complex is quite visible. Also the surrounding landscape of the sanatorium can be observed which shows the quality of the natural context it was choose for the sanatorium.
The building was built over concrete “dice” and was designed a serial building with 16 pavillions divided in two wings that were joined by a central volume which contained the main entrance.
Fig. 118: Hallway connecting dining hall and pavillion, in the back the eruption can be visible, 1963© Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural)
Fig. 120: Main facade Women and Children Pavillion, 1937 © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Currently the passage still remains with some signs of deterioration in the roof paint and in the window openings where there is a lack of glass and the wood frames show some signs of accretions.
The concrete structure of the building shows still good integrity, but the outside coat of plaster and white paint is quite deteriorated and with signs of humidity. The windows of the building show big signs of deterioration, most of the glass are unexistent, the wood frames show affectation due to humidity and termites. Also some openings have been closed with concrete block which affects the appearence of the building.
The natural landscape surrounding the sanatorium has changed a bit since the past years where it can be observed the presence of bigger trees. Also as a part of the tasks the keepers of the property have is the one of the maintainment of the green public areas. Currently there is the presence of numerous well kept gardens in the open spaces in between the buildings.
Since the building is empty most of the spaces remain without a program. The rooms of the south part are kept open unlike the ones in the north part were most of them are locked and full of garbage. Currently the buidling still remains with the foundation system intact, and all the pavillions are present with the exception of the gym and recreation area that was in the northern part of the building that is currently unexistent.
Fig. 119 :Hallway connecting dining hall and pavillion. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 121 :Main facade Women and Children Pavillion, 1937 © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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3.2.1.2 Structural Damages, Additions and Demolitions
Structural Damages
The whole complex of the Sanatorium present buildings with different levels of deterioration due to the different time periods these were built and also as it was already explained to the presence of diverse types of architectural languages with different constructive method and materiality. For instance the Administration Building that was conceived as a Victorian Building with some influence of traditional costa rican architecture was built in the Balloon Frame constructive method which is totally built in wood. The system consists of a skeleton of wood frames that then is covered by a wood skin. For the case of the Administration Building, the edification was pronounced inhabitable by the Ministerio de Salud of Costa Rica a few years ago since some structural problems were endangering the building and the people accessing it, so the decision of closing it to the public was made. The building has been without a use since the closing of the Adaptation Juvenile Center in 1990, from its completion in 1918 to 1990 the building experienced a series of changes that modify its external appeareance like the demolition and redisgn of a new atrium and main entrance, the demolition of a part of the left wing and re building in concrete, the addition (no always compatible with original design) of a new part of the facade that enclosed the open space of the front corridors of the wings, changes in the window openings and addition of new internal partitions that modify the original distribution. From the abandonment of the complex in 1990, due to the unuse of the building environmental conditions and simply the lack of use affected the building, the lack of protective glass in the windows has allowed the filtration of water, humity and mold has invaded the structure and the surface materiality which has lead to this problems of inhabitability and integrity issues. Rust is also affection the pluvial collection systems and other metallic elements in the building. Nevertheless the environmental conditions and the pass of time has revelead a new characteristic appeareance of the building were the diversity in colors and materiality gives a sense of attractivness to the building which can be consider as a potential element to explore in future restorations since it reveals the history of the building. In the case of the Women and Children Pavillion the building was built in reinforced concrete and except to deterioration in terms of surface materiality and humidity structrually the building remains in a good condition.
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Fig. 122: Ground floor Administration Building, current situation. Strucutral damages.
Fig. 124: Demolished front corridor and atrium remains. © Credits (Credits (Screenshot from video “Sanatorio Duran no 1F puede ser declarado Sanatorio” elaborated by nación.com).
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Fig. 123: Visible damage of balloon frame system in Administration Building. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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Fig. 125: Facade damages. © Credits (Photograph recovered from fotopaises. com, 2018)
Demolitions
Additions
Wood structure
Concrete
Fig. 127: Original atrium and front corridors. Administration Buidling, 1915. © Credits (Photograph provided by the 1F Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural) .
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Fig. 131: Redesign of wing of administration building, built in concrete. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019)..
Wood structure
Fig. 128: Re design of atrium and clsoing of the front corridors of the wings. Administration Buidling, 1920’s. © Credits 1F (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
Fig. 126: Ground floor Administration Building, current situation. Demolished parts from the original project of 1918 and 1937 to the existent situation in 2021.
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Fig. 132: Closing of the facade Administration Building, current state. © Credits (Photograph recovered from fotopaises. 1F com, 2018) .
Fig. 130: Ground floor Administration Building, current situation. Later additions from the original project of 1918 and 1937 to the existent situation in 2021.
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Fig. 129: Demolished atrium and front corridor. Administration Buidling, current situation. © Credits (Photograph recove1F red from i.pinimg.com)
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Fig. 133: Transformation of the original dining hall in to the church. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
3.2.1.3 Surface Damages and Materiality degradation The diversity in materiality the buildings in the Sanatorium present makes that currenlty the complex has a collage type of appearence which gives specific characteristics to the complex. The current appearence of the buildings, more than taking it as a problematic could also be taken as a potential aspect that could be consider to enhance in future conservation proposals. Nevertheless this current appeareance is in fact the result of different type of affectations the building materiality and surfaces have been experiencing through the years. It is important to understand which degradations are in fact affecting the integrity of the building and could affect human safety and have to be treated punctually and which damages could be some how maintained as a sample of the pass of time and could be enhanced as a sort of living document. In the buildings different types of damages can be observed, the most important and actually dangerous to the integrity of the building and the safety of the people visiting the complex are the ones caused by water filtration and humidity, which has caused the origin of mold in some surfaces which degradates the physical state of the material and could cause the collapse of some elements. This can be observed in some parts of the balloon frame system of the administration building. Other important damage is the one caused by the presence of rust and oxide in the galvanize iron and metallic surfaces which has caused the collapse of some elements and the not functioning of the water collection systems. Then the collapse of parts of the plaster of the bahareque constructive system has made some parts of the internal constructive system exposed, since the bahareque structure is made of clay the exposure to environmental conditions could affect the integrity of the structure making it dangerous. Degradation in the plaster of the reinforeced concrete make it more susceptible to environmental affectations. Finally the less dangerous damage is going to be the degradation of the paint of the wood which has caused a characteristic appeareance which is being considered as a potential aspecto to enhance. And as a final aspect there is the presence of numerous graffiti in the internal walls of the buuldings mainly, this graffiti are the result of vandalism or actual artistic interventions, this could be also studied and catalogued to decide which ones could stay and which ones are actually damagin the aspect of the buildings.
Fig. 134: Materiality of the administration building, original soft green paint is unexistent, later coats of painting are visible which gives different aspects to the facade surface. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja , 2019).
Fig. 135: Different types of surface materialities visible in the administration building, different colors of paint are visible but also the deterioated and worned aspect of the wood. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 136: The Women and Children Pavillion material surface is still well preserved with a few problems of humidity and worned out painting. Nevertheless later additios like the concrete blocks in the picture to closed the window openings affect the external appearence of the building. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019)
Fig. 137: Materiality of the administration building, different colors of paint are visible but also the deteriorated and worned out aspect of the wood. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 138: The original atrium made from wood was then replaced with a concrete atrium in the Administration Building. The current state is quite deplorable since it was almost all destroyed and the remaining parts are quite deteriorated. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 139: The concrete materiality of the Women and Children Pavillion is still well preserved, the white plaster has suffered some deterioration. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 140: Exposed facade section of the church made in baharaque, which is a traditional constructive method widely used in Costa Rica. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 141: The back part of the Women and Children Pavillion was also built in balloon frame system which presents some problems of integrity and deterioation. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 142: The interior wall materiality mainly is wrned out, and several graphitti have been drawned, some with aesthetic appearence others as a result of vandalism. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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3.2.2 Design Obsolescense 3.2.2.1 Accessibility and safety problems The design of the Sanatorio Carlos Duran was considered of high standards in the moment of its completion and throughout the years of functioning of the sanatorium the values of innovation and technological advancements were a constant to the point the sanatorium was considered a health center comparable with the ones of the first world. Nevertheless, despite having great quality for the standars of the years of functioning nowadays if the sanatorium is considered for future restoration, the conservation strategy has to take into consideration multiple interventions to make it universally accesible. For the accessibility not only the possibility of being universally accessible is important but also it has to be accessible in terms of safety. As it has already being exposed in this booklet, the buildings of the sanatorium currently remain in a state of abandonment and are not being used. Programatically speaking, the buildings could be facing obsolescence since the functions of a sanatorium could not be longer being held there since there is no necessity of having this type of facilities anymore. If we analyse the buildings for the possibility of adaptive reuse of their infrastructures the administration building could be re activated for administration uses and other type of uses compatible with its spatiality. As other proffesionals have proposed, uses as exhibition spaces, museum, community activites could be held in the administration builing without risking its integrity. In the case of the women and Children Pavillion this consideration has to be analysed further in detail because it can be re activated as a sanatorium, some professionals of institutions interested in the restoration of the Sanatorium have been analysing the possibility of adapting the spaces for accomodation to modify the Pavillion into some king of tourist hotel, but that could put in risk the authenticity of the building. At the end, it is known that the building and the complex of the sanatorium is somehow a living ruin, is being kept alived thanks to the people visiting the complex daily, and as it was stated in one of the intangible the values the condition of emptyness of the building has allowed the creation of a new assigned social value and could be that its is better to maintain the pavillion as a ruin as a measure for its conservation. At the end it is important what it is important for the buildings is to make them accessible and safe in order to keep them alive and to allow people
to keep visiting them. So structural reinforcements and treatments of materiality could be the best solution to stop further deterioration. The buildings present some design obsolescense in different aspects. Maybe one of the most important one is the one regarding universal accesibility. The buildings being considered for the evaluation both the Administratio Building and the Pavillion have elevated access, in other words they have to be accessed through some stairs making it difficult for people with different capabilities to access them. In the past years the UPANACIONAL with the maintenance of the exterior surrounding parts of the complex have made some type of adapations as the one shown in the figure X, but more interventions are needed. For the exterior parts some proposals could be designed where the buildings can be approached from different parts and could also be a part of a larger strategy with museographic elements. But things as ramps and the possibility of the incorporation of elevators to access the first floors of both the administration building and the pavillion are a must that has to be consider. Fig. 143: The whole complex presents accessibility problems that affects the experience of disable people but als the presence of this type of signs prohibiting the access to the buildings affects the use of the buildings ingeneral. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 144: Sidewalk leading to the sanatorium complex from the parking lot, it takes into consideration universal accessibility requirements nevertheless the whole complex is lacking safest options. . © Credits (Screenshot from video “Sanatorio Duran no puede ser declarado Sanatorio” elaborated by nación.com ).
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3.2.2.2 Mechanical and electric systems As an addition to the design obsolescense regarding the accessibility is important to highlight the problems surrounding the mechanical and electric systems the complex of the sanatorium is presenting. Since the complex have been abandoned since 1990 with the closing of the Adaptation Juvenile Center the buildings have been in a constant process of deterioration where the mechanical systems as the ones providing the water availability or the systems collecting the rain are unexistent or in bad state. This has caused the water filtration in the interior of the spaces which has lead to other several problems already explained. In the case of the electric system, currently the complex only counts with exterior lighting for safety reasons during the night to avoid the access of unknown people to the complex with the goal of experiencing paranormal activity or that are causing harm to the buildings by taking actions like rituals or more that only affects more to the stigmatization of the complex. Currently the electric systems of the building interiors are not functioning, only the system infrastructure visible but most likely if a restoration is considered the replacement of the systems is a must. It is important also to consider the possibility of re proposing external lighting as part of the conservation strategy since it could be used as an option to revalue the building and enhance its specific characteristics. Finally, as a plus to this problematic, the necessity of adding sanitary blocks in the complex is important to consider. In this moment the only sanitary block existent is the one that was added to the restoration of the area of the kitchen and the dining hall. If the Administration Building is considered for a possible restoration, the possibility of adapting spaces for sanitary blocks is a must.
Fig. 145: The pluvial collection systemos of the buildings are currently in bad state where all the pipes from galvanized iron present high levels of deterioration and oxidation. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
Fig. 146: Overall almost all buildings lack of electrical systems, the ones existent are poorly designed.. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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3.2.2.3 Fire protection system absence As a final consideration for the design obsolescence of the sanatorium complex is the lack of a fire protection system. This is a constant in various heritage buildings in Costa Rica and in the past cases of historic buildings in other part of the world that have been lost due to fires have opened a debate of how the historic buildings need to be protected for this type of dangers and how the tecnologies have to be incorporated. The Sanatorium in the past has been a victim of fires, specifically the former Men Pavillion original from the design of 1915 when it was lost due to a fire caused during the years of occupation of the Juvenile Adaptation Center, which is believed that during an incident with a group of inmates a fire was caused producing the collapsed of the building. Taking this into consideration is important the some security measures should be taken to protect the complex, by possibly adding a fire protection system or protecting the physical surfaces with fire proof treatments and more. This measures are important since as it is already know the oldest building of the complex is made of wood make it susceptible to this kind of emergencies. Finally is important to consider that in the surrounding area of the location of the Sanatoriun the Irazú Volcano can be found which is an active volcano generating gases and explosions on a daily basis which could affect the complex. In the past the Sanatorium has been witnessed of this volcano’s eruption but by fortune it has not been affected.
Fig. 147: Original Patient Pavillions which was destroyed by a caused fire during the occupation of the Adaptation Juvenile Center. © Credits (Photo obtained from the booklet issued by the Junta del Sanatorio in 1918.).
Fig. 148: Irazu Volcano Eruption of 1963. © Credits (Photograph provided by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
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3.2.3 Intangible problems 3.2.3.1 Restoration and possible loss of interest for the place It is important to think about the possibility of people not being interstest in a future restoration of the complex. As it is already know the complex is owned by the UPANACIONAL which in the last years has made an effort in maintaining the green areas surrounding the buildings, has incorporated safety and cleaning measures an adapted a parking lot for the visitors. The board in charge has stated that they dont have the financial income to fulfill a restoration and the Centro de Patrimonio has also stated that they have a budget bound to the maintenance and possible future restoration but that is not fully their responsability but a joint one with the owners. Until now the only place in the complex that has been restored thanks to the contest Salvemos Nuestro Patrimonio is the place of the dining hall and kitchen. This restoration gave the UPANACIONAL an opportunity to generate economic resources to help with the maintenance of the complex and retrieving the self sustaining condition that characterized the sanatorium. Currently the members of the UPANACIONAL sell the products they produce in the nearby farms in the kitchen which people can access. Since the rest of the buildings are visited because of the ruin like state it could be thought that the only necessary restoration was the one of the kitchen but from there people could not be interest in the restoration of the other buildings. The main building which is the Administration Building, maintains its integrity but it has a high level of deterioration of the inner spaces which has lead to it to be declared uninhabitable, causing to be actually closed to the public. The Women and Children Pavillion also maintains its integrity and has a medium level of deterioration and unlike the administration building is currently accesible. People go there mainly to visit the interior of the buildings and experiences the environment and the feeling of the spaces. So is reasonable to think that maybe both the owners and the visitors would be interest in the complex being refurbish because it could lose its interest. So if people lose their interest on going there they wouldnt be paying for food in the dining hall, or paying for the parking space, which translates in the owners not receiving this income that it is suppose to maintain the infrastructure and surroundings of the Sanatorium.
Fig. 149: Hallway of the Women and Children Pavillion, the current state is what makes the complex attractive to visitors, the restoration of these spaces could cause a loss of interest for the Sanatorium. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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3.2.3.2 Stigmatization and collective perception of the architectural complex There is a strong perception about the architectural complex, in one hand there is an historic interest that bring people to visit daily the project. On the other hand, there is a far stronger interest about the possible paranormal activity there. This is the result of a constant morbidity about what happened there. The place is misunderstood as a place where only suffering and death happened, instead there are numerous historical studies and essays that explained how actually was to live there during the period the Sanatorium was opened. This has lead to the Sanatorium acquiring a strong social value where people mainly visits the place and its spaces expecting to experience a paranormal moment. Also there exists various online pages in social media where people not only shares historic photos and memories of the bright years of the Sanatorium but there are also a few pages where people share these “paranormal experiences” they have had, where there are photos that show supposed ghosts and more. In the recent years since the listing of Sanatorium an ongrowing interest of revaluing the place for what it is actually important has made several professionals of diverse ambits generate research in order to diffuse and educate the society on the original importance of the complex. An example is the efforts doing by the faculty of anthropology of the Universidad de Costa Rica, where a graduation seminar was created with the goal of demystify the Sanatorium, understanding that changing people’s mind is not possible but they want to show that there is more of the Sanatorium than the idea of mystery and ghosts.1 The conservation strategy for the Sanatorium should take this in mind, the fact that there are new assigned values for the buildings, and that is important to maintain them since is they are keeping the building alive, but also the importance of retrieving the former values and educating people is a must for the sake of the Sanatorium. So some open questions could be left as: Fig. 150: Youtube search of Sanatorio Duran, the content people can access from the Sanatorium commonly treats abouts the paranormal activity which contributes to stigmatization of the place. © Credits (Screenshot recovered from youtube.com).
If you try to change the perception of the Sanatorium complex in the collective imaginarium of the people, does the Sanatorium loses its current architectural value? Is the current perception about the architectural complex damaging to the architectural value of the Sanatorium?
1 32 Espectro Canal UCR, “Sanatorio Durán,” Jan 23, 2016, video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZXABOaXWB4 87
3.2.3.2 Complex Legal Framework Tangible and intangible heritage is protected by the Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural which is an dependent organ of the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. The diverse types of heritage are protected by several laws that have been developed in the past years. Specifically the law that protects the architectural heritage is the 7555 Ley de Patrimonio Histórico Arquitectóncio de Costa Rica from 1995. This law even though has helped to protect various buildings with historic and architectural value in Costa Rica, still has a lot of inconsistencies, but not only the law but also the listing process and what happens after the listing. Overall there is a complex legal framework surrounding the listing and protection of these buildings, that sometimes take several years to concrete. In addition some of these buildings some times are private property and not everyone understands the importance of the listing of the buildings and its further protection. Regarding the Sanatorio Duran Cartín, the complex was already listed in 2014 which made its future conservation easier. The process of listing of the Sanatorium was quite easy compared to other listing procedures due to the fact that the people inhabiting the surroundings, the owners and the institutions like the municipality were asking the listing of the complex to the Centro de Patrimonio. In other words they recognized its importance and historic and architectural value, and saw a neccessity in preserving it. Currently the process of listing has two recognitions, a statement of fact that consists of the town and the people recognizing the importance of the historic building and feeling represented by it, and the declaratory of law that is the official listing of the building, the second one cant happen withouth the first one, since is the people living near the complex or the historic building the ones that have to ask for the opening of the expedient that begins with the listing project. After this, a series of site visits of different profesionals like architects and historians begin, with the goal of checking the 14 criteria1 the Regulation of the law 7555 states for the listing of the project which are the 31 following: antiquity, authenticity, representativiness, architectural value, artistic value, scientific value, context value, cultural value, documentary value, exceptional value, historic value, significative value, simbolic value, and urbanistic value. After the visits
and the study of the compliances of the building, the document is presented to a comitive compose of representatives of different institutions like the Ministerio de Cultura, the Centro de Patrimonio, a representative from the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos, a representative from ICOMOS and more. This comitivie has the obligation of approving the expedient in a period of maximum for months, if not, the process is archived and a new expedient has to be reopened but not before 3 years of the expiration of the previous process. Finally if the document is approved, the expedient is sent to the executive power of Costa Rica, in other words, the president’s office and this one is the one that has to signed the declaratory. Is obvious not all processes of declaratory achieve to be approved in that 4 month timeframe, as a matter of fact the request of listing of the Sanatorium was made in 2010 and was not approved until 2014, even though there was a recognition from the people living nearby the complex and also enough documentary evidence to prove the compliance of the 14 criteria of the regulation, the process was still 4 years long. A difficulty the listing process had was the doubts the Centro de Patrimonio had corresponding to the financial maintenance of the Sanatorium since the Centro de Patrimonio had a tight budget for it and they could help with the conservation of the complex but it is not entirely their responsability since the finacial maintanace responsability falls over the owner in this case the UPANACIONAL. Finally the Sanatorium was listed, and it has enough institution both private and public, interest in invest in its conservation, but still there is a lot of work to do. Finally, as it was already exposed the process of listing in Costa Rica is highly complex, which make a lot of buildings end in demolition or with interventions not respectful, but this is a problem of the complex process of listing, the long time it takes to list a building, all the entities involved in the listing, and the fact the is the actual president of Costa Rica the one that places the firm in the declaratory. The process should be simplified so more buildings can be protected easier and not just that, the people and citizens of Costa Rica should be informed in the benefits of the listing and further protection of historical buildings, so the institutions in charge of these processes should take more actions in the education and diffusion of this topics.
Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud Centro de Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural LEY 7555 LEY DE PATRIMONIO HISTÓRICO ARQUITECTÓNICO DE COSTA RICA Reglamento a la ley y su reforma Fig. 151: Front page of the current law of architectural heritage protection, Ley 7555 Ley del Patrimonio Histórico Arquitectónico de Costa Rica. © Credits (Screenshot from original document of the law recovered from the website of the Centro de Investigación y conservación del Patrimonio Cultural).
31 Ley 7555, Ley del Patrimonio Histórico Arquitectónico de Costa Rica 88
3.2.3.3 Financial maintenance and lack of investment Currently as it is already known the Sanatorium is owned by the UPANACIONAL whom at the moment of listing was already taking care and showed interest in the listing of the building. Before its listing they exposed the fact that they could take care of the security and cleaning aspects and the landscape treatment, but the necessity of giving them tools to generate income was a plus for them to keep taking care of the complex. With the context Salvemos Nuestro Patrimonio of the Centro de Patrimonio, the kitchen and dining hall were restores which give this opportunity to the UPANACIONAL to have place were they could generate income for the maintianance of the the complex. Currently, they give the service of parking lot to the visitors which is free, but they charge 1200 colones, (as shown in the picture) for the access to the complex, this corresponds to 1.60 euro or almost 2 dollars which is a low fee to enter. Then the UPANACIONAL used the kitchen and the dinning room to sell the products they produced, finally withthis income they can sustain some of the neccesities of the Sanatorium as the security, cleaning and landscape maintaince but is not enough for future restorations projects. In the moment of the listing Ileana Vives who was the former director of the Centro de Patrimonio stated that, the responsability of the financial maintenance is a shared responsability, between the Centro de de Patrimonio and the owner. The UPANACIONAL with the kitchen and the dining hall has giving the Sanatorium as self sustaining condition, but for restoration is neccessary the seek of private investment. Also Vives, stated in 2016, 1 that the Centro had available 108 000 000 million32 colones which is 148 142 euros (173 805 dollars) for the structural reinforcement of the administration building punctually, but just that, for making the building secure so it doesnt fall, the repurposing and readaptation of the building for further use had to take into consideration extra budget. To this point is not sure if part of this money available has been invested in the reinforcing of the building or not, but the necessitiy of creating strategies for other funding or looking for external investment is a must in the conservation strategy of the complex.
Fig. 152: Sign outside the Sanatorio Duran. © Credits (Screenshot from video “Sanatorio Duran no puede ser declarado Sanatorio” elaborated by nación.com).
32 Espectro Canal UCR, “Sanatorio Durán,” Jan 23, 2016, video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZXABOaXWB4 89
3.2.4 Synthesis Tangible Problems
Goals
Possible Intervention - Overall preservation of the complex ( maintain the fabric of the place in its current state and retard deterioration).
Level of deterioration and abandonment of the complex
- Buildings without a programatic use, which cause an ongoing process of deterioration.
- Stop further deterioration of the complex
Structural damages, later additions and demolitions
- Water filtration - Trash accumulation
Surface damages and materiality degradation
- Structural problems, structure visible in some areas, buildings not safe for public access
- To keep the current state of the building accepting it as another chapter of its history, maintain essence. - Structural reinforcement of the Administration Building to make it suitable for public access.
- Additions that are not compatible with original project, demolitions or collapse
- Identify layers of additions of the buildings and understand which ones could be kept. - Address surface deterioration problems
- Surface deterioration, graffiti, and humidity
- Restoration of the Administration Building ( reinforce structural system to make it suitable for active use, incorporate functional program) - Cleaning of garbage accumulated in spaces in the complex, cleaning of surfaces. -Propose new designs reminiscent of structures of the atrium and others.
Design Obsolescence Accessibility problems and security
-Design and exterior circulation not compatible for universal access
Mechanical and electrical systems
- Buildings not structurally safe for public access.
Fire protection system absence
-Drainage systems obsolete or in bad state causing water filtration.
- Compliance with accessibility law 7600 (Costa Rican law of universal accessibility) - Retrieve safety in the spaces by refurbishment of structure
- Adequation of spaces for 7600 law compliance - Refurbishment of exterior circulation for 7600 law comliance - Stablish Signage and protective barriers for controlled and guide visitation.
- Mechanical systems in bad state
- Controlled visitation by stablishing areas important to keep and areas accesible to the public.
- Electrical systems in bad state or unexistent, causing the absence of lighting in the complex.
-Address mechanical and electrical system issues, provide strategy for lighting.
- Complex lacks of fire protection system in case of emergency
- Provide complex with fire protection system in case of emergency.
- Propose fire protection system for complex
Restoration and possible loss of interest for the place
- The complex is alive despite not having formal use, possible loss of interest
Stigmatization and collective perception
- New assigned social value, place of death and suffering, belief of paranormal activity
- Enhance current and original values (respect new assigned value people have aknowledge in the buidling but educate about the original importance of the complex)
- Incorporation of interventions that demystify the Sanatorium by educating visitors but respecting new assigned value.
Complex legal framework
- Sense of ownership, people feel entitled to damage the buildings
Financial maintenance and lack of investment
- Bureaucracy surrounding the listing and the restoration of heritage buildings is complex.
-Education,diffusion and awareness of the historical and architectural importance.
- Currently UPANACIONAL maintains the complex thanks to income of dining hall
- Maintenance of economic income via the dining hall and kitchen, proposal of new ways of income.
- Refurbishment of architectural complex drainage systems to avoid water filtration. - Propose lighting design.
Intangible problems
- Retrieve original values of innovation, diffusion and development of knowledge.
-Lack of public or private investment
- Strategy for external investment. 90
- Incorporation of functional program in the Administration building to provide the UPANACIONAL of spaces and tools for the generation of new income. - Raise awareness, generate education and diffusion campaigns of the historic importance of the complex. - Generate strategies for attraction of external investment.
Values enhanced
Tangible: Architectural Value The presence of different materialities, architectural languages, constructive methods in the complex.
Tangible: Physical Value Actual state of the building, it makes it attractive to visitors
Tangible: Landscape Value Context in which is located the architectural complex
Intangible: Architectural Value Only architecture complex of this nature in Costa Rica.
Possible Scenarios for Conservation Strategy
Elements of the complex to intervene
Scenario 1 Do nothing and maintain the ruin as it is.
1. Administration Building 2.Women and Children Pavillion 3. Landscape Intervention Extra Spaces Kitchen and Dining Hall Church Connective hallway
Scenario 2 Refurbish the Administration Building and maintain the Women and Children Pavillion. . Scenario 3: Exterior intervention, not touching the architectural complex but retrieving the value from a landscape and exterior intervention.
Intangible: Historical Value Important for the history of Costa Rica and Central America.
Scenario 4: Full restoration of the whole architectural complex Intangible: Social Value Perception in the collective imaginary
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3.3 Possible Scenarios 3.3.1 Scenario #1 Do nothing, maintain the ruin Key Evaluation factors - For this scenario the complex of buildings are going to maintain the same state as it is actually. The ruined state of the building is considered a potential since it is currently working in a correct way. - The building is alive due to the value that was created after its abandonment, not because of the original value (a place that is important for the medicine history of Costa Rica). - The emptyness of Sanatorium is take into account, it has nothing to do with the original use but with how people perceive the ruin. Strategy - Leave the complex as it is, maintining the ruin. - Keep the dining hall and kitchen functioning since it is currently working and helps with the self sustaining of the architectural complex. Outcomes and Risks -The visitation keesp active since people are already going their daily. There is interest and the complex is still alive despite not having a formal programatic use. - The further deterioration of the complex, since there are buildings that are not being mantained but only cleaned. - The integrity of the buildings could get worse until collapse of some parts of the complex could happen.
Charters Involved - Venice Charter 1964 -Art. 1 Embraces the rural setting -Art. 5 Make use with a useful social use that doesn’t change the layout. -Art. 9 Respect of the original material and authentic docs. -Art 11 Valid contributions of the past periods should be respected
Maintain the ruin
- Nara Document 1994 -Art. 8 Responsability for cultural heritage and management belongs to the cultural community that has generated it. -Art. 9 Conservation of cultural heritage in all its forms and historical periods is rooted in the values attributed to the heritage.The understanding of the values throught the sources of information and their meaning is a requisite in the assessing of authenticity. -Art. 10 Authenticity as the essential qualifying factor concerning values. The understanding of authenticity plays a role in scientific studies of the cultural heritage, in conservation and restoration planning. - Madrid New Dehli Document 2017 -Art. 1 Cultural significance not only in physical aspects but intangible values -Art. 8 Recognize when use contributes to signifcance and manage accordingly -Art. 11 Communicate cultural signifcance with broader audience.
Fig. 153: Scenario 1, Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
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3.3.2 Scenario #2 Restoration of the Administration Building, maintain Women and Children Pavillion Untouched Key Evaluation factors - For this scenario it is being considered the necessity of refurbishment of the administration building since it maintains the integrity but it is not habitable. -The dinning hall and kitchen that functions as an annex to the administration building was restored in the past years and is functioning with its original programatic function and helps in the self sustaining of the Sanatorium. -Following this example the administration building can be restored and possibly maintained some administration functions like providing offices to the Unión Nacional de Agricultures, the current owners of the building. Strategy - Refurbish the administration building, retrieve the original use. - Maintain the Women and Children Pavillion in the ruin state since it is functional and habitable. - Incorporate safety measures and universal accessibility interventions to the complex. Outcomes and Risks - The retrieve of the original use of the administration building could affect possitivly since new activities could be done in the in Sanatorium spaces. - Retrieve of original values of innovation, diffusion, self sustaining, development of knowlege. - Possible uninterest for restorations of the complex could caused bad reactions. Maybe people going there to have “the sanatorium experience” could lose interest in going there.
Charters Involved - Venice Charter -Art. 5 Make use with a useful social use that doesnt change the layout. -Art. 9 Respect of the original material and authentic docs. -Art 11 Valid contributions of the past periods should be respected -Art 12 Replacements must be harmonious. -Art 13 Additions should not detract from the interesting parts of the buildings
Maintain the ruin
- Nara Document 1994 -Art. 8 Responsability for cultural heritage and management belongs to the cultural community that has generated it. -Art. 9 Conservation of cultural heritage in all its forms and historical periods is rooted in the values attributed to the heritage.The understanding of the values throught the sources of information and their meaning is a requisite in the assessing of authenticity. -Art. 10 Authenticity as the essential qualifying factor concerning values. The understanding of authenticity plays a role in scientific studies of the cultural heritage, in conservation and restoration planning. - Madrid New Dehli Document -Art. 7 Ensure respectful approach to addtions and interventions -Art. 8 Recognize when use contributes to signifcance and manage accordingly -Art. 9 Respect authenticity and integrity of the place or site -9.2 Respect value of the significant layers of change and patina of age. -Art.10 Give consideration to environmental sustainabilitly -10.1 Balance between environmental sustainability and intro of energy efficiency measures with the conservation of cultural significance. -Art. 11 Communicate cultural signifcance with broader audience.
Refurbish Fig. 154: Scenario 2, Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
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3.3.3 Scenario #3 Exterior intervention, not touching the complex but to revalue it from the context and landscape. Key Evaluation factors - Using the external part of the Sanatorium for the possibility of educating people in the architectural and historic value of the complex. - Incoporation of phases of education where people can be deceived to perceive the building with its correct value. - Maintaining the ruin to keep the assigned new value. Strategy - Establishing a defined boundary/perimeter outside the building explaining the history of the building - Connect common outdoor spaces and corridors - Maintaining the ruin but still allowing the people to experience it and learn from it - To revalue the building, without touching it - Education aspect, to actually teach the people visiting it the importance of the building from a historic and architectural point of view -Enhance what is original from the exterior interventons. - The emptyness of Sanatorium is take into account, it has nothing to do with the original use but with how people perceive the ruin. The emptyness is what has made people give a new value to the complex so it is respected. - The existent is enhanced and exagerated and made visible. Outcomes and Risks - Possible change of perception surrounding the building. - Turning the building in a “museum piece”, and made people think they can’t experience it anymore. - Diffussion and enhancement of original values, re educate people about the history of the building could raise awareness in the importance of the complex.
Charters Involved - Venice Charter 1964 -Art. 1 Embraces the rural setting -Art. 5 Make use with a useful social use that doesn’t change the layout. - Nara Document 1994 -Art. 8 Responsability for cultural heritage and management belongs to the cultural community that has generated it. -Art. 9 Conservation of cultural heritage in all its forms and historical periods is rooted in the values attributed to the heritage.The understanding of the values throught the sources of information and their meaning is a requisite in the assessing of authenticity. -Art. 10 Authenticity as the essential qualifying factor concerning values. The understanding of authenticity plays a role in scientific studies of the cultural heritage, in conservation and restoration planning.
Maintain the ruin
- Madrid New Dehli Document 2017 -Art. 1 Cultural significance not only in physical aspects but intangible values -Art. 7 Ensure respectful approach to addtions and interventions -Art. 8 Recognize when use contributes to signifcance and manage accordingly -Art. 9 Respect authenticity and integrity of the place or site -9.2Respect value of the significant layers of change and patina of age. -Art.10 Give consideration to environmental sustainabilitly -10.1 Balance between environmental sustainability and intro of energy efficiency measures with the conservation of cultural significance.
Exterior intervention
-Art. 11 Communicate cultural signifcance with broader audience.
Fig. 155: Scenarion 3, Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
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3.3.4 Scenario #4 Restoration both the Admnistration Building and the Women and Children Pavillion Key Evaluation factors - Importance of stopping process of constant deterioration and abandonment of the building. Also control sense of ownership people have above the complex in the sense they feel entitled of causing damages as paiting walls and more. Give them ownership in the sense that they want to take care of the building. Give new uses to the complex that are still compatible with the original program. -Follow already proposed ideas by other entities as of turning the administration building in a cultural museum center and the pavillions in accomodation for tourism or for the education activies hold in the complex. Strategy - Refurbish the whole complex. - Restored the administration building, and the women and children pavillion to a state similar to the original one. - Reconstruction of ruin structure -Incorporation of new program compatible with the original one - Opening of the Pensioneer Building - Cleaning of the buildings - Landscape interventions, museographic interventions. Outcomes and Risks - Possible change of perception surrounding the building. - People losing interest for it, eventually stop going to the place - Incorporation of a new function non compatible with the building - Losing the new added social value. - Interventions not respectful enough with the original design and patina of age.
Charters Involved - Venice Charter 1964 -Art. 1 Embraces the rural setting -Art. 5 Make use with a useful social use that doesn’t change the layout. -Art. 9 Respect of the original material and authentic docs. -Art 11 Valid contributions of the past periods should be respected -Art 12 Replacements must be harmonious. -Art 13 Additions should not detract from the interesting parts of the buildings
Refurbish
- Nara Document 1994 -Art. 8 Responsability for cultural heritage and management belongs to the cultural community that has generated it. -Art. 9 Conservation of cultural heritage in all its forms and historical periods is rooted in the values attributed to the heritage.The understanding of the values throught the sources of information and their meaning is a requisite in the assessing of authenticity. -Art. 10 Authenticity as the essential qualifying factor concerning values. The understanding of authenticity plays a role in scientific studies of the cultural heritage, in conservation and restoration planning. - Madrid New Dehli Document 2017 -Art. 1 Cultural significance not only in physical aspects but intangible values -Art. 7 Ensure respectful approach to addtions and interventions -Art. 8 Recognize when use contributes to signifcance and manage accordingly -Art. 9 Respect authenticity and integrity of the place or site -9.2Respect value of the significant layers of change and patina of age. -Art.10 Give consideration to environmental sustainabilitly -10.1 Balance between environmental sustainability and intro of energy efficiency measures with the conservation of cultural significance. -Art. 11 Communicate cultural signifcance with broader audience.
Exterior intervention
Fig. 156: Scenario 4, Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
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4. CONSERVATION PROJECT 4.1. Conservation Strategy For the conservation strategy of the architectural complex of the Sanatorio Duran different steps and strategies can be taked. For this exercise, as it is already know only the Administration Building and the Women and Children Pavillion are being taken into account, plus the buildings in between these two areas which correspond to the Church, the kitchen and dining hall and some connection areas, finally the surroundings are going to be considered for an intervention.Since the architectural complex of the Sanatorium is composed by different buildings of different constructive methods, materialites and periods of time diverse types of strategies of conservation should be considered. Also the buildigns have different levels of deterioration, different current uses and different potentials which give several possibilities for the conservation project. The strategies that are going to be proposed are just a preliminary response to what the research and evaluation of the complex showed, always taking into account that a further intervention could be made, and the interventions proposed are going to be more of a conceptual idea of design, and in other cases is just going to be a possible solution for the different problematics the physical elements of the buildings are presenting. In the case of the whole complex a preliminary strategy of cleaning is going to be proposed. Currently the UPANACIONAL is exercising some actions to help with the cleaning of the complex, mostly in the surrounding green areas. Beyond this exterior cleaning the complex is facing some problems regarding garbage accumulation mainly inside of the building spaces. The Pavillion, has some spaces that remain open and others that are closed to the public, this spaces are full of garbage. It is important to clean these spaces since the accumulation of trash is not only harmful for the integrity of the architecture but most importantly is a matter of public health and security.
People daily are visiting the place, adults and kids, so is important to provide a safe and clean space. By doing this the experience for the visitors is not only better but the appeareance of the architectural spaces is enhanced. After the cleaning, conservation practices should be applied. The ongoing deterioration of the complex should be tackled to avoid bigger problems. In the case of both the Administration Building and thePavillion preservation actions could be taken, understanding preservation as the actions intended to maintain the fabric of a place in its existent state and retarding deterioration1, in the sense of extending life expectancy of the heritage,maintaining integrity and minimize future deterioration. This is applicable for both buildings since both need this kind of attention, punctually the Women and Children Pavillion is going to receive this kind of actions since the plan of the scenario that is being considered for the conservation strategy is to maintain it “untouched”, as it is currently, but this is more in the sense that is not going to be provided of new functional programatic use, but is going to be kept with the condition of emptiness. Then actions regarding restoration are going to be taken into account, understanding restoration as actions that intend to return fabric of a place to a known earlier stat by removing accretions or by reassembling existent components even by using new materials.2 Again both buildings can be intervened with these type of actions but punctually the Administration Building is going to be considered for this, regarding structural reinforcing, making it secure and integral enough to hold again programatic functions, and the consideration of re designing structure reminiscent to the former atrium. All of this actions should take into consideration the stablished criteria by the charters in the sense of how to intervene the historic building with new contemporary additions by respecting the layers of other periods interventions. Finally for the exterior part of the buildings, landscape design with universal accesibility and the incoporation of museographic strategies to enhance the condition of education and diffusion are going to be proposed.
Conservation Strategies
Conservation
4.1.1 Strategies
Strategy 1 Cleaning
Applicable to whole complex
Strategy 2 Presevation
Applicable to Administration Building Applicable to Women and Children Pavillion
Strategy 3 Restoration
Applicable to Administration Building Applicable to Women and Children Pavillion
Strategy 4 Landscape Intervention
Applicable to surrounding green areas
Strategy 5 Museographic Strategies
Applicable to whole complex
Maintain Ruin
Restoration
1 Salvador Muñoz Viñas, Contemporary theory of conservation (United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2012), 16.
Exterior intervention
Fig. 157: Scenarios Selected. Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
2 Salvador, Contemporary ,17. 96
4.1.2 Scenario Selected For the conservation strategy of the architectural complex Sanatorio Duran Cartín the scenarios proposed corresponding to Scenario 2 and Scenario 3 are going to be developed since after the research and evaluation part of the complex are thought to be the best options that could throw better outcomes. The Scenario 2, considered the Restoration of the Administration Building, and maintaining the ruin of the Women and Children Pavillion, and the Scenario 3 consideres the landscape intervention and museographic strategy proposal to the surrounding green areas of the complex. Adding the maintenance of the functional program of the recently restored kitchen and dinind hall as a main source of income and the possible re opening of the church area. The rest of the buildings of the Sanatorium complex as the Pensioneer Buildings, the ruins of the former Men Pavillion and the doctor houses are not goin to be considered. Following the evaluation part earlier explained the main goals to fulfill in the conservation project can be stablished as: 1. Stop further deterioration of the complex while trying to keep as most as possible current appeareance of the buildings. 2. Structural reinforcement of Administration Building in order to make it possible to re incorporate functional programatic use compatible with original one, while keeping the essence of the pass of time through the building. 3. Incorporation of new designed elements as a reminiscent of the original design while respecting the stablished by the charters. 4. Compliance with law 7600 of universal accessibility in the whole complex. 5. Address mechanical and electrical problems, and proposing fire protection system. 6. Enhance current and original values, by the incorporation of educational and diffusion strategies. Retrieving original values like innovation and development of knowledge. 7. Keep self sustaining condition of the sanatorium and provide the place of new tools and spaces for the generation of income. 8... Seek for strategies of attraction of external income for further restoration.
Symbology Administration Building Women and Children Pavillion Church Kitchen and Dining Exterior Area
Fig. 158: Buildings to Intervene.
0
20
40
60
80
Buildings to Intervene
Internventions
Possible Uses
Administration Building
- Re incorporation of functional use - Structural reinforcement - Refurbish of window and doors - Redistribution of internal partitions - Re design of main entrance atrium - Mechanical and electrical systems - Fire protection system
- Administration offices for the UPANACIONAL - Workshop and conferences areas - Exhibition area - Accomodation rooms -Archival and Library Area
Women and Children Pavillion
- Cleaning of spaces - Treatment of surface materiality - Electrical systems - Fire protection systems
- Emptyness condition is maintained allowing people to experience the Sanatorium as it is currently used.
-Visitors - Students
Church
Re opening
Religious services
Public
Kitchen and Dining Hall
Maintenance
Dining services
Public
Surrounding green areas
Landscape design and museograhic strategies
Recreation
Public
97
Users
-UPANACIONAL members - Visitors - Students
100 m
4.1.3. Physical elements to intervene
Structural System
Surface Materiality
Window and door openings
* Not sure if brick walls for closure of Pavillion openings was as a part of a series of interventions made during the period the complex was a Juvenile Adaptation Center with the goal of changing functionality of spaces or as a way of structurally reinforcing the window openings to avoid collapse.
1.Balloon Frame
(Administration Building)
Electro-mechanic systems fire protection system
Accesibility compliances
Solutions
Re structure of ballon system
2. Bahareque (Church)
2. Plaster missing, leaving clay compound exposed.
Restoration of bahareque exterior plaster
3. Reinforced Concrete (Women and Children Pavillion)
3. Early concrete degradation
Treatment of concrete structure
1.Peeled and washed painting (Administration Building)
1. Protective layer of wood are gone, environmental conditions coud affect
Tretment of wood, without altering appearence, delay deterioration
2. Plaster of bahareque (Church)
2. Plaster as an exterior layer protects clay compound
Restoration of bahareque exterior plaster
3. Plaster in concrete (Women and Children Pavillion)
3. Humidity in plaster
Treatment of plaster for environmental
4. Humidity and Mold (all)
4. Humidity in surfaces
Humidity protection treatment
5. Rust in metallic surfaces (all)
5. Rust in metallic surfaces, collapsing parts,unsafe
Replace rust affected elements with new ones
6. Graffiti (all, mainly interiors)
6. Vandalism graffitis
Study which graffitis could stay or which ones can be erased
1.Glass and windows frames (Administration Building)
Frames in bad state Broken or unexistent glass
of new glass, necessary for protection
2. Window openings (Women and Children Pavillion)
Frames in bad state Broken or unexistent glass
Replacement when necessary Addition of glass or other type of prot.
3. Bricked up windows (Women and Children Pavillion) Internal Partitions
1. Parts of external layer missing leaving structure visible and exposed
Damages
*
Concrete bricks closure, affecting exterior appearance
effects
Restoration of frames and addition
*
Analyse neccesity of brick walls Improve exterior appearence
(Administration Building)
Distribuition non compatible with orig. design, complex circulation
Demolition of inecessary internal non
Enclosure of inner spaces (Women and Children Pavillion)
Closing spaces to visitors, trash accumulation in these areas
Opening and cleaning of spaces
Electric Systems and Lighting
In bad state or unexistent, just exterior lighting, not properly functional
Replacement of electric system Lighting design
Mechanical Systems and Drainage
Obsolete systems, water filtration is affection interior spaces and struc.
Replacement of mechanical system Improvement of drainage and pipes
Fire protection systems
Unexistent, making complex vulnerable in future emergencies
Fire protection system and material treatments
Universal Accessibility adaptation
Obsolete design, not accesible
Incorporation of accessibility elements
Later additions to orig. distrib.
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original partitions
4.1.4 Compliances with local regulations Ley de Patrimonio Histórico Arquitectónico de Costa Rica 7555 Law
Reglamento de Construcciones del INVU Building regulation
Reglamento Nacional de Protección contra Incendios Fire protection regulation
Guía Integrada para la verificación de la accesibilidad al entorno físico del CFIA
Ch.5 Permits to execute interventions in listed buildings. Art.37. Obligation to ask for permission to the Centro de Patrimonio from the owner of the building if there is interest in making restoration, rehabilitation, repairs, or other types of physical interventions. Art.38. The permit is issued after the filling of a form* stablishing the justification of the necessity of the intervention, location of the intervention in the building, materials, duration estimated for the works, the professional in charge, contact details and the owner must submit to the Centro a copy of the plans of the intervention.
Ch.7 Dispositions for buildings Art.106. Natural Light Art.108. Natural Ventilation Art.130 Halls dimension should be 2,40m by 3,00m longitud min. Art.131. Elevators for universal accesibility Art.149. Use of exterior advertisement or signage in heritage buildings should adress the 7555 law. Ch.9 Commercial or office buildings Art.174. Outflow circulation should comply with the dispositions of the Fire Protection Regulation of the Cuerpo de Bomberos
3.3 Basic Plan for Fire Protection .All buildings should have a basic plan in case of emergency, this plan should consider: outflow circulation, control of ignition sources, fire detection and alarm system, built and compartmentation fire resistant, and fire supression systems.
4. Technical requirements for accesibility 4.1. Pedestrian horizontal circulation, min. wide 1.60m, minimum horizontal slope 2%, pavements should be anti slippery without obstacles 4.2. Reserved parking spaces, if spaces are more than 40, should be 5% of reserved spaces, less than 40 spaces as min. should be 2 reserved spaces, dimensions should be 3.30 m by 5.00m 4.3. Accessible ramps should have a slope in between 10 to 12% with a min wide of 1.20m 4.4. Stairs should have 90 cm min, for public use should be 120cm min. 4.5. Hallways should have 90 cm min, for public use should be 120cm min. 4.7. Elevators should have a min dimension of 90 cm x 120 cm x 210cm.
7 Outflow circulation .All the circulation should comply with the NFPA 101 and the law 7600. 8 Compartmentation Building 9 Lighting signage
*(The form is then reviewed and in case of having all the requisites then form is sent to the office of the Ministry for futher study. In these days the professionals of the Centro de Patrimonio could make some visits to the building to bear out extra information and check the state of the building. The request could be accepted or denied depending on some criteria)
10. Signage 11. Stairs 12. Alarm System
Art.39.Criteria a. The interventions proposed should conserv the historic fabric of the building, in exception to the cases where the space adaptation is imperative. b. The predominant materiality in the building must be respected, and as far as possible they should not be changed, and if so the materials should not fight with the original design of the building. c. Re building are not considered wise, just if a needed justifcation is proved via the interest of the community. It should be a popular demand. d. The transfer of buildings is only justified in the face off a possible endangerment of the edification. (In general the originality of the building shoud be conserved, respecting its architecture language and spatiality. In exceptional cases the adaptation and modifications could be accepted. If new modifications are being proposed the interested party has to present an extend justifcation of the importance of the change, and present an architectural proposal where it is shown that the historic integrity of the building is not being compromised.)
Art.40. Signing: For the addition of any type of signing, plates, canopy, etc, the interested party has to respect some criteria regarding dimension, location, materiality, content, color and installation. Art.41. Sanctions: If a person breaks the regulations, they could be sanction with fines and penalty stablished by the law 7555, that could be economic fines or jail depending on the gravity.
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7600 Law
4.2 Women and Children Pavillion Strategies
Strategy 1 Cleaning
Strategy 2 Preservation
Strategy 3 Restoration
Strategy 4 Landscape Intervention
Strategy 5 Museographic Strategies
Proposal Guidelines
1. Stop deterioration while keeping current appeareance
2. Structural reinforcement for re incorporation functional programatic
3. New elements reminiscent of original design
4. Universal accessibility
5. Mechanical, electrical and fire systems.
6. Educational and diffusion strategies, retrieve original values
7. Provide new tools for self sustaining condition (income)
8. Strategies for attraction of external income.
Fig. 159: Interior appeareance of the Women and Children Pavillion. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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4.3 Surroundings Strategies
Strategy 1 Cleaning
Strategy 2 Preservation
Strategy 3 Restoration
Strategy 4 Landscape Intervention
Strategy 5 Museographic Strategies
Proposal Guidelines
1. Stop deterioration while keeping current appeareance
2. Structural reinforcement for re incorporation functional programatic
3. New elements reminiscent of original design
4. Universal accessibility
5. Mechanical, electrical and fire systems.
6. Educational and diffusion strategies, retrieve original values
7. Provide new tools for self sustaining condition (income)
8. Strategies for attraction of external income.
Fig. 160: Exterior appeareance surrounding areas of the buildings. Maintenance of green areas and incorporation of accesibility paths and information signs. © Credits (Photograph by Andrea Sibaja, 2019).
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4.4 Administration Building 4.4.1 Strategies
Strategy 1 Cleaning
Strategy 2 Preservation
Strategy 3 Restoration
Original Program
Strategy 4 Landscape Intervention
Strategy 5 Museographic Strategies
Admin. Building
4.4.2 Proposal Guidelines
1. Stop deterioration while keeping current appeareance
2. Structural reinforcement for re incorporation functional programatic
Attic
Dormitories
3. New elements reminiscent of original design
4. Universal accessibility
Admin. Building First Floor Dormitories Bathrooms
5. Mechanical, electrical and fire systems.
6. Educational and diffusion strategies, retrieve original values
7. Provide new tools for self sustaining condition (income)
Dining Hall
8. Strategies for attraction of external income.
Dining Hall Butchery Bakery Cheesery Cleaning Bathrooms
4.4.3 Proposed Architectural Program OLYMPIC 2030 AGENDA ORIGINAL
1
2
3
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
CHURCH
DINING HALLS AND KITCHEN
CURRENT
Kitchen
PROPOSED
Kitchen Storage
Ground Floor -Offices for Association -Permanent Exhibition Areas -Areas for Workshops,seminars and conferences -Bathrooms First Floor -Accomodation -Bathrooms Attic -Storage -Archive
Ground Floor -Director‘s Office -Administration‘s Office -Doctor‘s Office -Consultant Rooms -Treatment Rooms -Pharmacy -Storage First Floor and Attic -Rooms
Abandoned and Closed
-Church -Storage
Closed to public -Church -Storage
Re open it -Church -Storage
-Patient Dining Hall -Employee Dining Hall -Kitchen -Storage -Bathrooms
Restored -Dining Hall -Kitchen -Storage -Bathrooms -Hall -Store
Restored -Dining Hall -Kitchen -Storage -Bathrooms -Hall -Store
Church
Church
Admin. Building
Ground Floor Offices Director/Admin Post Office/Telegram Doctor Consult Treatment Rooms Pharmacy Cleaning / Sterilization Doctor Dining Storage Corridors
Fig. 161: Original Program. Exploded Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
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Current Program
Proposed Program
Admin. Building
Admin. Building
Closed
-
Attic
Attic
Admin. Building
Admin. Building
First Floor Dormitories Bathrooms
First Floor
Closed
Hall
Hall
Store Hall Bathrooms
Store Hall Bathrooms
Kitchen
Kitchen
Kitchen/Storage Dining Bathrooms (7600)
Kitchen/Storage Dining Bathrooms (7600)
Church
Church Closed
Church
Admin. Building
Church
Admin. Building Ground Floor
Closed Demolished
Re-design Entrance
Fig. 162: Current Program, Exploded Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
Fig. 163: Proposed program, Exploded Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
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Ground Floor Offices UPANACIONAL Archive and Storage Meeting Room Conference/Workshop Space Exhibition Dining Bathrooms Mechanical Rooms/Storage
4.4.4 Interventions Structural System
1.Balloon Frame
Damage
1. Parts of external layer missing leaving structure visible and exposed. demolition of main entrance corridor
Solution
Re structure of balloon system Re incorporation of main entrance corridor
Surface Materiality
1.Peeled and washed painting
Damage
1. Protective layer of wood are gone, environmental conditions coud affect
Solution
Tretment of wood, without altering appearence, delay deterioration
4. Humidity and Mold, 5. Rust, 6. Graffiti Damage
Humity affecting integrity of materials, rust and oxide causing collapse of elements, vandalism graffiti
Solution
Protection Treatment of materials, replacement of rusted elements and cataloging graffitis
Window and door openings
1.Glass and windows frames
Damage
Frames in bad state Broken or unexistent glass
Solution
Restoration of frames and addition of new glass, necessary for protection
Internal Partitions
Later additions to orig. distrib.
Damage
Distribuition non compatible with orig. design, complex circulation
Solution Electromechanic systems Fire protection system
Accesibility compliances Requirements
Demolition of inecessary internal non original partitions Electric Systems and Lighting Mechanical Systems and Drainage Fire protection systems
Universal Accessibility adaptation Elevators: Min. 1 Accesible ramp for entrance Toilet blocks with accessible one. Signage 104
Re design of front corridor and atrium
Replacement WIndows and Door Frames
Fig. 164: Re design fron corridor and atrium. Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
Fig. 165: Replacement Windows and door frames. Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
Apply treatment to materiality while maintaining current appeareance
Demolition of walls, simplyfing circulation, adaptation for universal accesibility
Fig. 166: Surface Materiality. Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
Fig. 167: Circulation Axonometric view of the Sanatorium complex.
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4.4.4.1 Architectural Plans Ground Level
22. 7. 21. 20. 16.
5.
6. 14.
1.
3.
13.
Proposed Program 1. Front Corridor 2. Main Hall 3. Main Office 4. Archive 5. Offices 6. Meeting Room 7. Exhibition Space 8. Multiuse Corridor 9. Classroom 10. Classroom 11. Temporary Class 12. Private Dining Area 13. Verticular Circulation 14. Bathrooms 15. Storage 16. Mechanical Rooms 17. Church (Closed) Existent and Functioning 18. Dining Hall 19. Kitchen 20. Outdoor Space 21. Hall 22. Store
2.
17.
4.
2. 12. 15. 11.
10. 8. 9.
Fig. 168: Ground floor Administration Building. Proposed intervention.
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18.
19.
0
5
10
15 m
First Level
2. 1. Proposed Program
3.
1. Dormitories 2. Bathrooms 3. Verticular Circulation
Fig. 169: First floor Administration Building. Proposed intervention. 0
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5
10
15 m
4.4.4.2 Facades Current State South Facade
Rust Corrugated Sheet Rust Metal Drainpipes
Rust Drip Edge Window wood frame in bad state Glass broken or unexistent Washed painting Rusted corrugated sheet
Fig. 170: South facade. Administration Building current state.
Proposed Interventions South Facade
Replacement Roof Sheets Replacement Drainpipes
Replacement Drip Edges Replacement wood frames Replacement window glass Maintainment while leaving current appeareance Replacement
Fig. 171: South facade. Administration Building proposed changes.
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0
5
Current State
West Facade
Demolished Atrium and Front Corridor
Closed Access
Non original facade
Closed Access Missing Stairs
Fig. 172: West facade. Administration Building current state.
Proposed Interventions
West Facade
Propose new design for atrium and front corridor
Maintain it but rethink window openings
Open Access
Fig. 173: West facade. Administration Building proposed changes.
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Open Access Add stairs
10
15 m
Fig. 174: Administration building, interior space current state. © Credits (Photograph recoverd from tripadvisor.com)
Fig. 175: Administration Building interior state, visualization with proposed changes, exhibition spaces.
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Fig. 176: Administration building, interior space current state. © Credits (Photograph recoverd from tripadvisor.com)
Fig. 177: Administration Building interior state, visualization with proposed changes, classroom and workshop spaces
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