Author image: Tiia Monto. Creative Commons License
The 12.826,29 m² of operating space that the Valdebernardo Center has in total are divided into four floors and a basement where complementary uses are located to the main one.
On the ground floor is the main access for donors and workers, the assembly hall where symposiums, meetings and training sessions are held, and the cafeteria. This area also includes the Cord Blood Bank, reception and control rooms.
In the central part is the Donor area where blood is extracted from donors who come directly to the Center. To this end, it has five stretchers for conventional blood donation and six for apheresis donation, apart from the different boxes where the donor is interviewed and a room with supplies for after the donation.
Beyond the donor area, following a side corridor to the central lobby, there is also the fractionation area, which is where the preparation of the blood is produced, coming from the donations of the entire Community, which are made in the center itself, at fixed donation points in hospitals and external donations collected in mobile units.
In addition, a Quality Laboratory and a Cryopreservation Laboratory of different blood components are located on this floor, mainly red blood cells that have a rare phenotype. Units of platelets are also frozen for cases of directed, autologous or stock donations.
Analysis and research The Hematology and Biochemistry, Immunohematology and Special Techniques laboratories are located on the first floor, with associated offices and support areas. The Administration part is also in this area.
On the second floor are the Research, Molecular Biology and Histocompatibility Laboratories, as well as the Management offices, work rooms and library. The Donor's Office is also located here. Likewise, there is a technical floor, the third, only accessible to the Center's security and maintenance personnel.
The Promotion and Communication Departments are also located on this floor.
Distribution
The road access is made through the rear façade. This, linked to the main access through the large central hall, communicates with a maneuvering yard where all the blood donated in the Community of Madrid arrives and from where the transport and distribution of processed blood leaves to all hospitals, public and private. private in the region.
The Center has a parking lot for staff in its basement with a capacity of 100 spaces. Also on this floor are the warehouse, laundry and maintenance space. In addition, the Seroteca is located, with two cold rooms at less than 40º dedicated to the conservation of plasma destined for research purposes and control of communicable diseases.
Flexible and well connected building
The design of the center is made in such a way that it allows any of its areas to be redesigned through mobile panels and cardboard and plaster partitions. Likewise, the electricity, water and voice services and computer data lines are distributed over ceilings and floors to facilitate connections in any place or area.
As for its access, it can be reached either by public transport -bus line 71 or Valdebernardo Metro station- or by road, through the nearby M-40, M-45 and R-3. In addition, it has an outdoor car park that can be accessed from the side of the main façade and that can be used by both staff, visitors or people who come to the center to donate.
