A 100-bed children’s cancer center is planned in Gahanga, a region south of the Rwandan capital Kigali. Designed by British architect David Adjaye, when completed, the facility will be the first of its kind on the African continent.
The renderings that have circulated depict a warm-colored metallic, rectangular structure enveloped with a sheet of triangles. As Adjaye tells Dezeen, these triangles are inspired by the geometry of Rwanda’s traditional Imigongo art form—graphic patterns designed using dried cow dung.
Sitting atop a 10-acre site, views to the landscaped outdoors was important in Adjaye’s designs. The architect said his goal was to “add dignity and hope to the lives of the children.”
The generosity of light flowing in, larger-than-life photographic murals, a warm color theme, and large windows that seamlessly bring the outdoors inside depicted in the renderings attest to Adjaye’s goal.
Construction is scheduled for later this year, and the facility is planned to open in 2017.
Pushing aside sterile and clinical design for healthcare facilities to make way for livable and charming spaces has been an emerging trend this decade, with the late Michael Graves as one of its biggest proponents. Other cancer treatment centers that take this approach are the Maggie’s Centres in the United Kingdom.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
VA San Diego Healthcare System Building 1 Seismic Correction
San Diego, Calif.
Three decades after its original construction in the early 1970s, the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System Building 1 fell far short of current seismic codes. This not only put the building and its occupants—patients, doctors, nurses, visitors, and administrative staff—at risk in the event of a major earthquake, it violated a California state mandate requiring all hospitals to either retrofit or rebuild.
| Aug 11, 2010
HDR, Perkins+Will top BD+C's ranking of the nation's 100 largest healthcare design firms
A ranking of the Top 100 Healthcare Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Diffenbaugh completes construction of Loma Linda University Highland Springs Medical Plaza
J.D. Diffenbaugh, Inc. has completed construction of the new Highland Springs Medical Center for California's Loma Linda University Medical Center that will significantly enhance the access to medical services for families in the Inland Empire. The project was developed by Lillibridge Healthcare Services, Inc., one of the nation’s largest private healthcare real estate firms.
| Aug 11, 2010
Arup, SOM top BD+C's ranking of the country's largest mixed-use design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 Mixed-Use Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Structure Tone, Turner among the nation's busiest reconstruction contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 75 Reconstruction Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +