Haitian Health Clinic Prototype

Project Type:
landscape design
interior design
architecture

Project Mission/Goal:
1) improve the human spirit
2) increase awareness of the environment and/or address climate change
3) respond to our growing need for clean water, power, shelter, healthcare, education
4) address humanitarian crises

Project Description:
In response to the recent earthquake, students from this team partnered with the NGO, Medicorp International to design a health clinic prototype to be built throughout Haiti. The clinic is to be 1000-1200 sq ft. and includes exam rooms, a laboratory, reception, waiting room, and a pharmacy/convenience store. The goal is for this prototype design to be built throughout Haiti in urban, peri-urban and rural locations. It was important to the design team that the building design and construction system is in harmony with the vernacular architecture of Haiti, is comfortable and inviting for both patients and medical staff, and that it resist earthquakes and hurricanes.

Two vernacular construction systems have been influential in the design; the “Gingerbread” style in Haiti and the Daji Dewari system in Kashmir, Pakistan. Both are beautiful and perform well in earthquakes, employing a post and beam system with masonry infill. In the vernacular Haitian system, brick and mortar are used as the infill material, whereas in the Kashmir method, rubble or stone is used to fill the smaller voids in the framing system. The design of the roof and the front porch of the clinic also express the style of Haitian Architecture.
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Project Details:
Project Location: Various locations, Haiti
Date(s): 2010
Project Phase: Finalizing Design
Client: MEDICORPS International
User Client:
Description and Number of Beneficiaries/Users: The Haitian people that reside in the various locations where the clinics will be built.
Major Funding: MEDICORPS International
Concept/Lead Architect(s)/Designer(s): University Of San Francisco Community Design Outreach student team under the direction of Seth Wachtel, Program Director and Assistant Professor in the Department of Art + Architecture. Students: Bezaleel Balan, Kayla Busby, Marlee Coen, Lauren Corke, Victor Etienne, Mustafa Hosseini, Andrew Jimenez, Alex Kieve, Keng-Lin Lu, Becca Liu, Sebastian Mahfoud, Ana Munoz, Sam North, Allison Price, Allison Reiter, Helen Vasquez and Xian Zhang.
Project Architect(s)/Designer(s):
Structural Engineers:
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Total Cost/Cost per Unit:
Area (if applicable): 1,100 sq.ft.
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Photo/Image Credit(s)
File Specifications: Vectorworks

Nominated by Ana Munoz

Location