White Arkitekter Unveils Maternity Unit Concept for Panzi Hospital in Bukavu
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The Swedish architecture studio White Arkitekter has created the concept for a new mother and baby health unit at the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The unit is conceptualized as an extension of the hospital, which was foundedWhite Arkitekter Unveils Maternity Unit Concept for Panzi Hospital in Bukavu
The Swedish architecture studio White Arkitekter has created the concept for a new mother and baby health unit at the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The unit is conceptualized as an extension of the hospital, which was founded in 1999, by Denis Mukwege, recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, to help improve the wellbeing of mothers and their children in the country.Talking about the objective behind the new project, White Arkitekter said in its press release, “A new mother-baby unit is planned to reduce maternal and post-natal mortality rate at world-renowned Panzi Hospital. It will support positive birth experiences for the women of Bukavu and improve the working conditions for the hospital’s dedicated staff.”With up to 3,500 childbirths per year, the maternal and neonatal ward at Panzi Hospital is a central part of the operations. However, the existing structures are marred by insufficient sanitation, shortage of beds, and no facilities for family members to stay. This restricts the staff from providing the level of care level that they aspire to.To replace the current overcrowded and inadequate facilities, White Arkitekter worked with Mukwege and Marie Berg, a professor specializing in reproductive and perinatal health at Gothenburg University, to design the new mother and baby unit.Describing key elements of the new design, the architecture studio stated in its press release, “Each unit has private access to green courtyards for rehabilitation, recreation, and social activities. Buildings are reached from a large entrance square via internal pathways. The design consists of two distinct components: a one-story intensive care block housing labor ward and neonatal unit, and a series of seven two-story modular pavilions containing postnatal patient rooms and outpatient functions.”The new mother and baby unit was designed according to the principles of “healing architecture,” where a positive environment promotes patient recovery. As stated by the studio, “The new patient wards have been planned as small units of 8-16 patients, with patient rooms containing one or two beds. The units vary in size, allowing relatives to support patients during their stay.”The design also caters to the climate and resource efficiency concerns. For example, the simple modular building forms are designed for minimal upkeep as well as to withstand earthquakes, while materials are locally sourced wherever possible. External louvers are applied to provide shade from the heat of the sun while allowing adequate natural light into the corridors. https://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more