PressRelease

October2017

WhiteArkitekterunveilshealingdesignconceptforanewmother

andbabyunitatPanziHospitalintheDemocraticRepublicof

Congo

TheScandinavianfirmhasdevelopedthedesignforanewfacilitytobebuiltontheexistingPanziHospitalsiteintheDemocraticRepublicofCongo(DRC).ThePanzihospitalwassetupin1999,byDrDenisMukwegeandtheCEPACchurch,withthemaingoalofimprovingwellbeingformothersandtheirchildren.

Following20yearsofdevastationbywarintheregion,thehospitalexpandeditsfocustotreatsurvivorsofsexualviolence.Today,thePanziHospitalservesover400,000people.

DrDenisMukwegeiswidelyrecognisedforhistreatmentandadvocacyoffemalevictimsofsexualviolenceandhasreceivednumerousinternationalawards.MukwegewasawardedtheUNHumanRightsPrize(2008),shortlistedfortheNobelPeacePrizeeighttimes,andreceivedtheSakharovPrizeforFreedomofThought(2014).

Theconceptforthenewmother-childunitwasdevelopedbyateamledbyDrMukwegeandMarieBerg,ProfessorinHealthCareSciencesspecialisinginReproductiveandPerinatalHealthatGothenburgUniversity.ProfessorBerghasbeenworkingasamidwifeandadvisorintheDRCsince1981.

ThedesignteamatWhiteArkitektertogetherwithProfessorBerg,havebroughttheirextensivehealthcareexpertisetotheprojecttodeliverasustainableandperson-centredcaremodel.Thenewunitaimstoreducethematernalandpost-natalmortalityrate,providemorepositivebirthexperiencesandimproveworkingconditions.

ItwillreplaceovercrowdedandinadequatefacilitiesatPanziHospital,whichdealswithupto3500birthsperyear.Thehospitalsuffersfrominsufficientsanitation,poorlogisticalarrangements,andnofacilitiesforfamilymemberstoremainclosetothemotherandchild.Duetotheshortageofbeds,currentlymothersoftenhavetoshareroomswithothermothersandtheirbabies,causingpsychologicaldistress.

Thesimpleandharmoniousdesignisplannedalongtheprinciplesof‘healingarchitecture’inwhichthequalityoftheenvironmentcontributestopositivepatientrecovery.Theeasy-to-navigatedesignprioritisesdaylight,privacyandviewsouttonature.Eachunithasprivateaccesstogreencourtyardsforrehabilitation,recreationandsocialactivities.Locallysourcedmaterialsareusedwherepossible.

Thedesignforthenewhospitalconsistsoftwodistinctcomponents.Aone-storeyintensivecareblockhousesalabourwardandneonatalunit.Aseriesofseventwo-storeymodularpavilionsprovidepost-birthpatientroomsandtheoutpatientdepartment.Thepatientwardsaredesignedassmallunitsof8-16patientswithpatientroomsof1-2beds.Theunitsvaryinsizeenablingfamiliestosupportpatientsduringtheirstay.Thebuildingsarereachedfromalargeentrancesquareviainternalpathways.

CristianaCaira,leadarchitectatWhiteArkitektersays:“Duringourworkonthefeasibilitystudywehaveconstantlybeenremindedthatarchitecturecanmakeamajordifference.Inthelongterm,wehopetobeabletocreateamodeltobuildhealingarchitectureindevelopingcountriesrationally,sustainablyandinaneconomicallysmartway.”

DrDenisMukwegesays:"Allwomenshouldreceivequalitycarethroughoutpregnancy,labour,birthandbeyond,aswellasinrelationtooptimalplanningofpregnancy.Thisplannednewfacilitywillholisticallypromotethehealthofwomenandchildrenthroughouttheirmaternityandearlyyears.”

ProfessorMarieBergsays:“AuniqueaspectofthisprojectwastheclosecollaborationbetweenPanzihospital,Whitearchitects,andGothenburgUniversitytocreateoptimalresearch-basedperson-centredcareadaptedtolocalneeds.”

ThePanziHospitalisnowseekingfundingforthenewmotherandbabyunit,whichwillbethefirststageofalong-termdevelopmentmasterplanatPanziHospital.Oncecompleted

thenewunitwillserveasablueprintformaternityandpostnatalhealthcarefacilitiesinsimilarcircumstancesinDRCandbeyond.

Ends

NotestoeditorsFormorepressinformationonWhiteArkitekterpleasecontact:MiriamMandelandGloriaRobertsatCaroCommunicationsT:+44(0)2077139388E:miriam@carocommunications.com/Gloria@carocommunications.com

AboutWhiteArkitekter:

WhiteArkitketerwasintroducedtotheprojectbyProfessorPeterFröst,directorofTheCenterforHealthcareArchitectureatChalmersUniversityofTechnologyinGothenburg,Sweden.AswellasProfessorFröst,theteamalsoincludesWSPGroupandmidwifeMariaHogenäsofArtofLifeandBirth.Theteamiscontinuingtoworkonthedevelopmentoftheunit,whichwillbeimplementedincollaborationwithlocalarchitects.

WhiteArkitekterwasfoundedbySidneyWhitein1951andisScandinavia’sleadingarchitecturalfirmwithover900employeesworkingin16officesinSweden,Denmark,NorwayandtheUK.Ourworkisresearchfocusedandourexpertiseencompassesarchitecture,urbandesign,landscapearchitectureandinteriordesign.

Fornearlytwodecades,Whitehasinvestedinestablishingauniqueresearch-basedorganisationofhighlyqualifiedexpertsinthefieldofsustainabledesign.Ourfounder’saimwastoimprovesocietythrougharchitectureandhislegacylivesoninourambitiontocontributetowardsthebuildingofasustainableworld.www.white.se

AboutPanziHospital

AboutPanziHospitalDr.DenisMukwege,2014SakharovPrizeLaureate,foundedPanziHospitalin1999asaresponsetothedevastatingwarthatsurroundedhiscommunityintheeasternprovincesoftheDemocraticRepublicofCongo.Thehospitalnowservesapopulationof400,000astheGeneralReferenceHospitalfortheIbandaHealthZoneinDRC,withafullrangeofhealthservices.PanziHospitalhasearnedaworld-renownedreputationforitsbest-in-classservicetreatingsurvivorsofsexualviolenceandcomplexgynecologicalinjuries.Itsimpactonthelivesofwomenandgirls,andonthebroadercommunitiesinwhichtheylive,providespatientswithservicesthatmeetthefullspectrumoftheirneeds:physicalrecovery,psychosocialandemotionalsupport,communityreintegrationandlegalassistance.