Centre Karibu is a surgical centre and medical training centre in Beni,a town in DR Congo’s North Kivu Province. centre is founded by Belgian humanitarian surgeon Dr. Reginald Moreels. Centre Karibu willoffer specialized surgical services and training in an area plagued bywar and violence, deprived of humanitarian aid. Realizing the projectis a major achievement and a sign of hope in one of the most inaccessible parts of the world, providing high quality medical care formillions of people.
If you would like to support this project or for any donation www.unichair.africa
The design pays great attention to the well-being of the patients, and is conceived as a series of pavilions in a garden. Breaking up the project into a series of smaller buildings creates a pleasant environment on a human scale, with ample light and greenery flowing between the buildings.
This modularity also builds in a large degree of flexibility and phasebility, essential to realize this type of projects. Contrary to most hospitals in the region, patients are not grouped in large dorms. The pavilions house 1-3 person rooms, offering more privacy and rest to the patients and preventing diseases to spread too easily.
A large communal garden provides respite in the shade and space for cooking, eating and washing. An orchard with fruit trees contributes to the food supply for the center. Green space and vegetation is also crucial in the site’s water management, in addition to a large wadi that protects the site from flooding.
A total of 50 trees The have already been planted, with more to come. By placing the water tower on a central spot in the garden, the team could save some space by using the space below the tower as a kitchen for visitors and patients.
A striking roof structure provides
natural ventilation and cooling, and eliminates the need to use AC. This is achieved by using a double roof structure consisting of a perforated concrete slab topped with steel roof. The playful composition of the roofs and expressive tapered columns and pilasters are a nod to local architecture.
Centre Karibu will open its doors in june 2023 to help the first patients. The team will continue working on the next phases of project, including a new maternity and more spaces for training and education.
Location: Beni, North Kivu, Congo
Site: 1 ha
Built area: ca 2.000m2
Design: Architects without Borders Belgium
Engineering: Engineers without Borders Belgium
Contractors:General contractor: CBB/Patrick Bruppacher, B ukavu,DRC
Electrical installations: GoShop, Goma, DRC
Borehole and water distribution systems: BTP, Beni, DRC
