The hospital serves Burera District’s 340,000 inhabitants. A principal concern in its design was the reduction of airborne disease transmission. Interior corridors are avoided, exterior waiting areas supplied and hard landscaping minimised to prevent stagnant water build-up. One-room wards with beds along a central console increase natural ventilation and offer views of the countryside, both views and airflow being maximised by the hilltop site. Rather than being covered with mortar, as is often the case, areas of local volcanic rock masonry are left exposed. The architects strategically integrated craft development as a way to reduce costs, but also to improve quality and to create nearly 4,000 jobs while deploying locally produced, customised finishes wherever possible.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture