HOPE DENTAL CENTER
Kigali, Rwanda
ARCHSTORMING INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
1ST PRIZE AWARD
April 2020
Design Team
Sebastiano Baldan / Nazish Pathan / Ashlon Frank
“In the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi, life expectancy from birth was just 28 years, according to data by The World Bank. Today, that figure has more than doubled. However, despite this increase, 18% of morbidity cases that are directly linked to treatable oral diseases are easily preventable and curable with access to basic dental care and education, according to the 2016 reports by the Rwandan District Hospital.
Rwanda currently has 48 dentists in a country with a population of almost 12 million people, which translates to about one dentist for every 250,000 potential patients. By comparison, the United States has approximately 1 dentist per every 1,600 patients. Despite major efforts to rebuild the nation, the statistics remain in despair and the need for more dental care professionals is greater than ever.
We simply cannot overlook this dire and overwhelming need. His Hands On Africa was created to improve the oral-health care need in Rwanda but a few questions remain: how does a developing country scale affordable and quality healthcare when the majority of its population live on a few dollars a day? How do you maximize foreign aid while also empowering the nation to partner in a sustainable solution for the long term? How do you reach people who do not have the means or ability to access locally based facilities?“
Competition brief text courtesy of @architecture_competitions
Rwanda has a reputation for being one of the cleanest and now safest countries in Africa. Conservation here is taken seriously and the whole region is known as one of the most biodiverse rainforests on the continent. Acknowledging also the growth of national economy, the design of Hope Dental Clinic promoted and funded by His Hands On Africa, clearly presents an opportunity for contextual architecture and environmental awareness.
The proposal for the new Hope Clinic is structured on a number of strategic choices aimed for a functional facility through a sustainable and responsible design vision. The site plan is defined as a sequence of three major zones - clinic and carpark, residents and warehouse - placed in non- dispersive manner so to minimize the use of land, cutting of existing trees and groundworks required.
Rwanda has a reputation for being one of the cleanest and now safest countries in Africa. Conservation here is taken seriously and the whole region is known as one of the most biodiverse rainforests on the continent. Acknowledging also the growth of national economy, the design of Hope Dental Clinic promoted and funded by His Hands On Africa, clearly presents an opportunity for contextual architecture and environmental awareness.
The proposal for the new Hope Clinic is structured on a number of strategic choices aimed for a functional facility through a sustainable and responsible design vision. The site plan is defined as a sequence of three major zones - clinic and carpark, residents and warehouse - placed in non- dispersive manner so to minimize the use of land, cutting of existing trees and groundworks required.
Attention is given to the clinic’s spatial organization, arranged around a large podium with public functions at the top and a semi-private courtyard at the bottom, which brings light into the treatment floor. The communal spaces should facilitate the spontaneous aggregation of people and instill an overall sense of community while offering break-out areas and panoramic points of view.
The distinction between the treatment and public areas is marked by a change of finish visible on the exterior: grounded and blending with the soil at low level and white colored above.As to give the impression of a natural element which quietly grows from the earth and reaches above merging and vanishing into the sky.
Centrally positioned and detached from the clinic buildings, a smaller structure houses the resident staff, connected to the main clinic via central steps and gentle ramps on the natural descent of the terrain. An outdoor podium in the green nearby is used for meditation and for quiet gatherings.
The warehouse is located at the very bottom, slightly elevated from the road level and accessible through a ramp leading to the loading area for van-size vehicles and container trucks. Although completely separated from the clinic and residence, the warehouse offices are placed on a higher level with controlled access to a dedicated terraced area at the rear.
Emphasis is put on the building materials which should be sourced locally as much as possible so to help the local and national economy.
Focus is on the use of Rwanda volcanic rock aggregates, a red-brown color stone which gives a naturally warm and vernacular look to the buildings. Equally important is the implementation of sustainable applications, i.e. passive cooling, cross ventilation, solar thermal panels for hot water, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing and ground water recharge by allowing water seepage though permeable outdoor finishes.
Hope Dental Clinic is a clear chance to implement new building standards in Rwanda, a design that while reflecting the modernization of the country should be considerate and respectful of its own traditions and heritage.
