With nearly 10,000 square meters of timber, the new Faculty of Health Sciences at the Public University of Navarra (UPNA) is now the region’s largest mass timber building. Designed by Bryaxis Arquitectos, lead architect Txema Errea describes it as a landmark in sustainable construction. But it’s not just about scale—Sara Velázquez, Passivhaus expert from Arquitectos, highlights that the building will also be a positive energy facility, merging cutting-edge medical education with high-performance, low-impact design.

UPNA is a public university created in 1987 by the government of the Spanish autonomous region of Navarre.  The main campus is located in Pamplona. The Health Sciences building was placed off-campus near two of the biggest hospitals to help facilitate access for students carrying out internships. Currently there are about 10,000 students taking twenty-five different degrees. 

The use of solid, sustainable PEFC certified Sylva™ CLT building kit for this project was specified for a number of good reasons on this project:

Sustainability

The expansion of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the UPNA aims to generate more energy than it will consume. A major part of how they will do that is by using 2,800 m² per floor of from a Sylva™ CLT kit by Stora Enso which has one of best environmental product declarations (EPDs) on the market today. 

Mixed-use design and prefabrication

The four-storey building will create 13,504 square metres of usable space which will be distributed in ten laboratories, twenty-two classrooms, more than 40 offices, the Anatomy Department (190 square metres), a cafeteria and a car park. 

Prefabricated Sylva CLT kits work seamlessly with this type of highly modulated and flexible design as everything can be frontloaded using Building Information Modeling software (BIM).  Here the kit will be used to integrate and connect the new building with the existing nursing building, and create adaptable size meeting meeting spaces on all floors. 

Social connection 

The high-quality exposed wood will  also used to form a large central atrium that is set to be a breathtakingly warm and inviting space encouraging social connection and communication, which wood does naturally and beautifully.  Students spend many hours in the faculty so designing a space where they can support each other, meet, work together and make in-person connections matters a great deal. 

Labour shortage

Another major contributing factor to using prefabricated kit of parts according to the architect in the Navarra Capital news is that it "..helps to alleviate the problem of the lack of qualified labour that has been suffering for years". The construction is underway and is expected to complete in late 2025 check back soon for updates as this incredible project unfolds. 

Watch more about how BIM was used to enable this project