sol89's Unified Care Center in Paju Blends Park and Madang

Spanish architecture firm sol89 has completed the Care and Wellness Center for the Elderly and Disabled in Paju, South Korea, a 12,560 m² facility that merges two previously separate programs into a single porous structure. Rather than the two buildings requested in the competition, the design creates a unified volume that allows the adjacent metropolitan park to flow through, forming an internal public void inspired by the traditional Korean madang courtyard. This central space serves as a communal meeting and relaxation area, naturally separating the various programs while reinforcing the connection to the park and acting as an environmental oasis within the dense urban fabric. The project was developed by the Paju City Government and completed in 2025. The lead team includes María González, Juanjo López de la Cruz, and Yunhee Lim (Woodrock Architect), with principal architect Jongjin Lee (Sol89). The design team comprises Cristobal Galocha, Elena González, Álvaro Valverde, and María Luisa Benítez. Structural engineering was provided by Sen Structure Research Institute, electrical and mechanical engineering by Bumchang Engineering, and landscape architecture by Design Studio Loi. Photographs were taken by Bojune Kwon. The project is categorized under Healthcare Architecture and Healthcare Center.