Pro-Bono Health Clinic Opens in Rural Northern Tanzania
Karatu, Tanzania - A new Medical Clinic engineered by Miyamoto International and designed by Williams + Paddon Architects + Planners, in collaboration with HY Architects, prepares to open doors to address a critical need for local healthcare, where poverty is rampant and the average life expectancy is 43 years of age.
When originally approached to volunteer structural engineering services in the design of a new medical clinic by Williams + Paddon and HY Architects, Miyamoto engineers jumped at the opportunity to supply a solution that would adopt local Tanzanian design, and then to modify and enhance those techniques. The goal was to provide construction details in an effort to simply make the clinic safe and increase the building's lifespan. Kit Miyamoto of Miyamoto International said, "People don't typically engineer buildings in this part of the world, we did."
Local design consists of a dangerous combination of stick frame with wattle and daub plaster, or adobe "burnt" brick arranged in a vernacular pattern. Miyamoto's structural solution took this into consideration in addition to knowledge of local contractors, building materials, and the potential for seismic and natural hazard occurrences. The Architects took great steps toward maximizing the beneficial affects of the local climate and natural resources by incorporating daylighting, proper solar control, rain water harvesting and natural ventilation into the design. Located 3.5 degrees south of the equator, proper utilization of these resources can lower the surrounding ambient air temperature by 20 degrees and supply enough power to operate the clinic year round without having to tap into the, often unreliable, local utility grid.
The structure was completed using concrete block, wood and other locally available materials. Workers spent grueling hours crushing rocks by hand to create aggregate for the cement mixture. According to Scott Paddon, "The government inspector reported after a site visit that there has never been a building of such quality built in Karatu - not even any of the larger government buildings. A new standard of design and construction to serve the local population has been set." "Even more exciting is the fact that it was locals that built it, and it was cost effective. Not only do they now have someplace to go for medical care that isn't a days walk away, but they have the knowledge and know-how to build safer structures," added Kit.
This project directly aligns with Miyamoto International's vision to make the world a safer place. "We are incredibly excited to produce a product that will positively contribute to the quality of life of others around the world," says Soon-Min Kwon, PM for the Karatu Clinic project with Miyamoto International.
Miyamoto International provides structural, earthquake and wind engineering services related to the design and strengthening of buildings. Project sectors include: seismic evaluation and retrofit, education, commercial, civic, corporate, healthcare, and infrastructure. With six offices on the West Coast and one in Tokyo, Japan, Miyamoto International is one of the largest and fastest growing structural engineering firms.
Search News
