Some cities speak, and A Coruña is one of them. Every stone, every street, and every building holds stories that span centuries. In the very heart of the city, on Calle Real, a 19th-century building has been given a new lease on life thanks to the complete renovation of the Pardiñas Clinic. A project that did not seek to change its essence, but to evolve without forgetting its roots.
This is the story of aa complex transformation, respectful and deeply linked to the health vocation, the architecture and the memory of the city.
1) Why renovate the Pardiñas Clinic after almost 40 years?
After almost four decades of clinical activity, the project needed to grow. It wasn’t about starting from scratch, but about taking another step forward. The decision was clear: to move the clinic to the ground floor of the same building at number 66 on Calle Real, going down to street level to offer a more accessible, more spacious and future-proof space, while always maintaining the identity of the original project. From the beginning, there was one non-negotiable thing: to remain true to the land, to family history, and to a very human way of understanding dentistry.
2) A family project with deep roots in A Coruña
2A) How was the Pardiñas López Clinic founded?
More than three decades ago, doctors José Pardiñas and Carmen López began a dream. Their goal was to create a dental clinic where honesty and commitment were the foundation of everything. They weren’t just looking for a healthcare center, but a place where every patient felt heard, cared for, and understood.
2B) Innovation, art and transparency from the beginning of Clínica Pardiñas López
The first clinic was located on the third floor of the building, and even then, she was a pioneer in many aspects:
- Advanced design for its time (year 1996).
- Use of glass, wood and blue-green tones.
- Visible sterilization zone, something groundbreaking then.
- Pioneers in dental implants in Galicia in 1989.
- ISO 9001 certification in 2002.
- First Galician dental clinic with a website, and also, in Galician.
That philosophy of rigor, transparency and continuous training is what has also guided the current reform.
3) ¿Cuáles fueron los grandes retos de reformar este edificio histórico de A Coruña?
3) What were the major challenges of renovating this historic building in A Coruña?
3A) How to adapt a 19th-century building into a modern dental clinic?
The renovation was not a conventional project. The building is listed as a heritage site, located in a historic area, right on the English Way of St. James and within the PEPRI area.
This involved complying with:
- Very demanding health regulations.
- Specific technical requirements.
- Strict asset conditions.
All this without destroying or hiding the original architecture.
3B) A constant balance between past and present
During the construction work, the following appeared:
- Traditional 19th-century wooden wrought ironwork.
- Structural interventions from the mid-twentieth century.
- Original stone slabs that now form part of the entrance
Each discovery forced us to adapt the project on the fly, listening to the building and respecting it.
4) What were the archaeological findings during the renovation of Clínica Pardiñas?
4A) What was found during the excavations?
During the initial phases of construction, the past resurfaced. They were found archaeological remains from different eras, among them:
- 15th century ceramics.
- Transport vessels from northern Portugal.
- Materials associated with the historical port activity of the area
All the remains were classified, documented, and protected. Understanding that building is also remembering.
5) Architecture, interior design and technology at the service of the patient
5A) How was the new space at the Pardiñas Clinic organized?
The new Pardiñas Clinic is distributed in two floors connected by a staircase designed specifically for the project. The result is a spacious, functional space that is consistent with the building’s history.
The clinic has:
- Five specialized offices.
- Surgical office with its own recovery room.
- Facial aesthetics clinic.
- Two separate waiting rooms.
- Designated children’s area.
- Radiology area with CBCT.
- Training room with capacity for 40–50 people.
- Terraces on the first floor.
5B) Colors, materials and roots of the new Pardiñas Clinic
The design uses two key colors that have a relationship with our land and our roots, as they represent the blue-green color of the sea at Riazor beach:
- The color blue predominates on the ground floor.
- The green is protagonist on the upper floor.
Both colors connect the current logo with the origins of the Pardiñas Clinic and the former López Prieto Clinic, visually reinforcing the continuity of the project.
6) A clinic also designed to teach, train and disseminate
The reform not only expanded healthcare capacity, but also incorporated spaces for professional training, clinical meetings, or science outreach.
A commitment consistent with a trajectory marked by teaching, innovation and communication, which today reaches patients and professionals in more than 150 countries.
7) The Pardiñas Clinic Museum: when dentistry meets history
7A) What can you see in the clinic’s museum?
As a tribute to everything that happened during the renovation, the Pardiñas Clinic now houses a museum integrated into the ground floor, where some of the archaeological discoveries found during the works are exhibited.
This museum is a tribute to the history of A Coruña, a recognition of the building’s roots, and a reflection of the evolution of the profession, from antiquity to the digital age. A space that invites you to stop, look and understand that the clinic not only takes care of smiles, but is also part of the living heritage of the city.
8) Much more than a reform: a legacy that continues
The new Pardiñas Clinic is not just a modern space. It is the result of months of work, respect for history, conscious decisions, and an idea that has remained unchanged since day one: the patient is always the center.
Because what defines a clinic is not just its walls, but the people who live there, the dedication with which they work, and the commitment to continue caring, with their feet on the ground and their eyes on the future.
9) Documentary about the reform of Clínica Pardiñas in A Coruña
“There are cities that speak, that hold stories in every stone, in every cobblestone, in every step. And the sea whispers traditions. In A Coruña, Calle Real is a living artery that connects centuries of history.
And at its heart, a 19th-century building beats once more. One built of science, effort, and challenges. A family project born from a passion for health and a deeply human approach to the profession, now transforming itself, but without forgetting its roots.
Nearly 40 years passed, and the project needed to grow—not change, but evolve. So we decided to take another step, moving down to street level, to the ground floor of the same building, a more accessible, more spacious area, better prepared for the future.
We have always been clear about who we are and where we come from, faithful to our land and our principles, and that is evident in every decision we make.
It’s a way of being, of working with humility, heart, and common sense, as we say here. Since then, thousands of patients have placed their trust in us. Thousands of smiles, thousands of lives cared for with rigor, humanity, and quality.”
Here you can watch the full documentary about the renovation process at Clínica Pardiñas:
