That cardboard is a tough material is something we don't tire of remembering in this blog. What turned into cardboard box is ideal to protect and safeguard what it contains We also repeat it often. But what surprises us even is that a building cardboard, raised 106 years ago in the middle of the mountain, keep standing.
106 years ago at Vall Fosca (Palars Jussà, Lleida) 4,000 workers of the company Energía Eéctrica de Cataluña (EEC) built the Capdella dam. During the construction of the site there were many accidents at work and, as the nearest medical centre, it was 40 kilometres away by a road that was not passable, The company decided to build a hospital right there. to take care of the injured.
The company built an ephemeral building, because it only had to function while the works lasted. For this purpose he acquired a precast from Christoph & Unmack. It was a construction that came by pieces (of wood and cardboard) and that once in place it was mounted quickly. Kind of like an Ikea building.
The German company Christoph & Unmack, from which the hospital was purchased, was Europe's leading company in the construction of prefabricated buildings in the early 20th century. It designed major buildings throughout Europe and received numerous international honors and awards for them. However, no trace remains of most of those buildings, which were mainly erected in large cities. This is why the cardboard hospital in Vall Fosca is so important. It is a unique industrial building that has survived the harsh weather of this part of Catalunya despite being made of cardboard.
Once the works were finished no one took care of dismantling it and over the years ended up being used as a warehouse and even as a shelterWhich surely explains why he stood up.
It is a simple structure consisting of a 5-centimetre timber framework and walls made from prefabricated cardboard panels one metre and two centimetres thick, made weather-resistant by a specific treatment with paints and varnishes. The roof is made from the same materials and covered with fibre-cement tiles.
At present, a thorough study is under way on how to rehabilitate them as they are a very unique case, unique in Europe.
More information: https://eix.mnactec.cat/lhospital-de-cartro/
