In Los Cabos, where dramatic landscapes meet climatic extremes, the new Christus Muguerza Hospital is conceived as both sanctuary and system—a place of healing grounded in architectural clarity. Its bold, instantly recognizable form reflects the client’s mandate: to create a hospital that is iconic, highly functional, and rooted in context. Set just 300 meters from the ocean and visible from the airport, the building responds to its prominent site with a distinctive silhouette, while also meeting the technical demands of seismic resilience, hurricane resistance, and clinical precision. A central design innovation lies in the building’s radial plan—an evolution of historic hospital typologies— which organizes programs across three primary arms. This configuration maximizes views toward the ocean and mountains and ensures all inpatient rooms benefit from natural light and orientation. In a critical move, one arm is rotated to create direct access to planted rooftop terraces from each patient wing. These terraces are more than amenities: they are integral to the architecture’s therapeutic agenda, offering light, air, and landscape as part of the healing process.

Research-Informed Form

Fernando Romero’s studio conducted a historical deep dive into hospital typologies to understand their evolution and determine the most meaningful application within the context of Los Cabos. This research revealed a recurring logic of radial circularity across centuries of healthcare design. Drawing from this lineage, we adopted the three-arm typology and reinterpreted it through subtle rotation—introducing elevated terraces and aligning the plan to optimize both circulation and experience.

Spatial Strategy

The curved form reduces wind resistance in a hurricane-prone zone, while the radial layout organizes critical functions around a light-filled central atrium. The chapel, a cornerstone of the client’s mission, is lifted above the main entrance and articulated through the façade—a cross embedded in the building envelope signals both threshold and spiritual center. Clinical and public programs are clearly zoned across three levels. Emergency, radiology, obstetrics, and surgical services are concentrated on the first floor, with adjacency and flows meticulously calibrated to support routine and urgent care. Clean and contaminated flows are separated in surgical areas, and the emergency department connects directly to diagnostic imaging. Inpatient rooms occupy the two upper floors. All are oriented toward ocean or mountain views, and many include space for family members to stay overnight. Rooftop terraces connect directly to each inpatient arm, a design move that emphasizes well-being through access to open air and natural surroundings— rare for hospital environments of this scale. Public-facing functions—reception, pharmacy, café, and outpatient consultations—are located on the ground floor and oriented for intuitive access. Circulation is anchored by the central atrium, bringing daylight to the heart of the building and reinforcing clarity throughout. Biophilic elements—including integrated greenery and framed landscape views—are used to soften transitions and reduce clinical sterility.

Material & Performance

The building envelope is composed of a double-skin façade with vertical aluminum louvers calibrated to reduce solar heat gain, maintain outward views, and withstand the high-salinity coastal environment. Durable, low-maintenance materials ensure longevity without stylistic excess, reinforcing the architecture’s clarity and purpose. A sloped site allows for three distinct access points: public entrance, emergency drop-off, and separate service entry—supporting seamless operational flow while reducing cross-traffic between user groups. Native landscaping, permeable paving, and shaded circulation routes support site-specific sustainability goals. The project is being developed in phases, with one inpatient wing designed as a grey-box shell for future flexibility. The result is a hospital shaped by research, rooted in its environment, and designed for care—not only as a medical function, but as an architectural ethic.