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entrada principal está orientada de modo que se pudiera aprovechar la brisa marina para ventilar el hospital. Tras la muertedel arquitecto, fuesuhijoquienseencargóde laetapa final de ejecución de los trabajos, tras de lo cual el Hospital fue inauguradopor el reyAlfonsoXIII en 1930. El incrementode lademandasanitariayeldeterioroestructural de los edificios evidenciaron que el conjunto modernista no reunía las condiciones necesarias para mantener la calidad asistencial. Es entonces cuando se empieza a plantear la necesidad de construir de nuevo otro hospital, moderno y adecuado a la práctica médica contemporánea, dándose por finalizada la vida útil de los maravillosos edificios de Domènech iMontaner.Enotoñode2009, laactividadsanitaria se trasladó a un moderno edificio situado en la fachada noreste del conjunto, con lo que el recinto modernista se convertía en un referente cultural que entró en una delicada fasede rehabilitación.Suarchivohistóricocubre lahistoriade Cataluñaduranteunperiododemásde600añosydehecho, fue precisamente su fondo documental una de las razones que llevaron a la UNESCO a declararlo Patrimonio Mundial en1997. hospital remained unawarded, and theproject was finally adjudicated to LluísDomènech i Montaner (1850-1923), a great figure of CatalanModernisme. To complete his assignment, thebrilliant architect was inspiredby themostmodern hospitals inEurope. Followinghygienist ideas, hedesigned a hospital organised into various isolatedpavilions surroundedby gardens, all interconnectedby awebof underground tunnels. Generally, the architect drewupplans around vertical andhorizontal axes, a clear cross as an emblemof the oldHospital de laSantaCreu. Through this symbol the sanitary history of Barcelona and the allegorical values of theMiddleAgeswerebrought together. Domènechhad the helpof several artists in creating the numerous sculptures that decorate the grounds, including a youngPauGargallo andEusebi Arnau; Francesc Labarta, whodesigned thepaintings andmosaics, and JosepPerpinyà, commissioned for themetalwork. The first buildings in the complex started tobebuilt in 1902. Eachbuildingwas designatedwith adifferent speciality. Illumination, good ventilation and thedec- orationmade the complex unique in theworld and an innovative hospital model. Themain entrance is orient- ed so that the seabreeze could ventilate the hospital. After thedeathof the architect, his son took over the final stage of theworks, after which the hospital was inauguratedbyKingAlphonseXIII in 1930. The increase indemand for healthcare and the struc- tural deteriorationof thebuildingsmade it clear that themodernista complex could notmaintain the conditions needed to attend to thepatients. At this point the need to construct another newhospital was suggested, one that wasmodern and adapted to modernmedical practice, thus ending the service life of Domènech i Muntaner’swonderful buildings. In au- tumn2009, healthcarewasmoved to amodernbuild- ing situated in the northeast corner of the complex, at whichpoint themodernista complex became a cultural referent andunderwent adelicatephase of rehabilita- tion. The historic archive covers the history of Catalo- nia for over 600 years, and in fact, this documentary resourcewas one of the reasonsUNESCOdeclared the complex aWorldHeritageSite in 1997. Foto/PhotoAnnePloetz 47