The 18-story General Residence at Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in southern Madrid has been dismantled after more than half a century, clearing the site for a new public plaza and updated access routes.
The demolition required 20 trucks and more than 4,000 trips, with approximately 80,000 cubic meters of debris removed. Work began in September 2025 with interior stripping and the dismantling of surrounding low-rise structures. Crews moved on to the basic tower in November. In January 2026, they began removing the basic basic, which housed the stairwells and elevators, working from the top down. Winter storms occasionally slowed progress, but crews had cleared the site above ground by late April.
Complex Demolition Process
Dismantling the tower within an active hospital campus required heavy machinery and manual crews, with specialized demolition robots also used. A demolition machine with a 62-meter boom reached and took down the upper floors.
Materials were sorted on site for recycling and reuse. Concrete and masonry, including brick and stone, were crushed and screened to produce aggregate for future construction. Iron and steel were separated for recycling, as was aluminum. The project also involved handling hazardous materials, including asbestos and certain radiological components, with additional precautions.
New Plaza to Connect Hospital and City
The cleared land is planned as a central plaza for patients and families, hospital staff and local residents. The site design includes gardens and other green spaces, as well as resting areas. Planned pathways will link hospital buildings and connect the campus more closely with the surrounding city.
The planned plaza will provide access to basic facilities, including the renovated auditorium, which seats more than 500, and the pediatric radiology department. It will also connect to emergency services for pediatric and obstetric and gynecological care. The wider project includes upgrades to basement-level services such as pathology and radiation oncology.
Modern Hospital in Full Operation
Since late 2024, patient care has been transferred to the hospital’s new 10-story building, which covers more than 133,000 square meters. The facility includes advanced medical technology and light-filled rooms, alongside therapeutic gardens and energy-efficient systems.
Information from the hospital, construction of the new building and demolition of the former tower proceeded without interrupting medical services or patient care. The work is part of a broader modernization plan focused on accessibility and environmental performance, with a more patient-centered campus as its goal.
Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, one of Madrid’s largest public hospitals, is combining updated clinical facilities with changes to its campus environment. The planned plaza is intended to open up the site to patients and staff, as well as the wider community.
