Advanced technology set to improve people's lives

Construction has begun on the future proton therapy unit at La Paz University Hospital in Madrid, designed by Tenderstream member IDOM. The highly complex healthcare facility will enable the hospital to offer one of the most advanced and precise cancer treatments currently available. IDOM is leading the project, providing architecture, engineering, detailed design, construction management, and technical support for the licensing process with the Nuclear Safety Council. Made possible by a donation from the Amancio Ortega Foundation, the unit will directly impact patients’ quality of life, aligning with the United Nation’s sustainable development goal 3: good health and well-being.

Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses proton beams to treat tumours with extreme precision, minimising radiation exposure to healthy tissue. With the maximum energy of the protons focused on tumours, side effects are reduced, which is a particularly important factor in treatment for paediatric patients and those with tumours in hard-to-reach locations. 

The project incorporates IBA Proteus One technology and requires a rigorous design from architectural, structural, and radiation protection standpoints. The facilities require thick shielding, advanced security, ventilation, access control, radioactive waste management systems, and precise integration of electrical, mechanical, and cooling systems.

IDOM brings proven experience to the project in designing and developing proton therapy centres, having previously worked on the Donostia University Hospital, the Marqués de Valdecilla Hospital in Santander, the Quirónsalud proton therapy centre in Pozuelo (the first of its kind in Spain), and the Hadron Therapy and Research Centre at the International University of Kutaisi in Georgia. The multidisciplinary team, comprised of architects, hospital engineers, nuclear engineers, and project managers, ensured a comprehensive response to the technical challenge, with an overall aim to utilise technology and innovation to improve people’s lives through engineering and architecture.

Lucy Nordberg

Tenderstream Head of Research

This tender was first published by Tenderstream on 24.03.2023 here

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