tamassociati wins aga khan award with salam center in sudan

tamassociati wins aga khan award with salam center in sudan
all images courtesy of tamassociati

italian firm tamassociati has won the 2013 aga khan award for architecture with their ‘salam center for cardiac surgery’ in sudan. the complex provides highly specialized care to patients affected by cardiological pathologies, and is managed and run by italian-based humanitarian organization, emergency NGO.

the medical complex was not conceived as just a building, but as a system of structures and related spaces. the lot is located south of khartoum, overlooking the river nile. the centre is built as a pavilion with primary buildings organized around large courtyards. the hospital block has been realized with the highest technical standard with complex functions that include three operating theatres which are optimally positioned in relation to the diagnostics laboratories and ward. the hospital has 63 beds, and serves over 50,000 patients each year, drawing on a catchment area in eastern africa of over 300 million people. other programs include guest quarters for out-of-town patients, service areas, a pavilion for prayer and meditation suitable to all religions, and a medical compound made from shipping containers to house the centre’s staff–90 20-foot containers form the accommodation block, each unit consisting of 1.5 of these volumes, with a bathroom and small veranda facing the garden. seven 40-foot containers are occupied by cafeteria and services, with insulation provided through an ‘onion system’ of 5-centimetre internal insulating panels and an outer skin comprising of a ventilated metal roof and bamboo blinds. a solar farm powers the water-heating system.

jury citation:

‘the salam centre for cardiac surgery champions the visions and resilience of all involved in delivering a responsible, efficient and inspiring model of health services in a society marred by war, internal conflict and lack of basic needs like water and sanitation. intimately linked to surrounding nature, the ‘self-build’ project facilitates an environment of clarity and healing, while providing the fundamental human right of health, free of charge to all. following a bottom-up design process, this complex project evolved successfully by creatively engaging all its local, political, social, topographical and aesthetic specificities without sacrificing its vision for excellence and function. the compact state-of-the-art hospital also provides an exemplary prototype for the region as well as for the field.’

open patios between the shipping container units

interior of the meditation pavilion which caters to all creeds

exterior of the meditation pavilion

office areas

general view of the centre which is organized around gardens and courtyards

communal areas are protected by bamboo blinds

a series of shipping containers make up the accommodation block for staff

site plan

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project info:

place and date: khartoum (sudan), 2004-2008
client: emergency NGO

quantitative data:
site size: 14,000 m2

team: chairman: rossella miccio, peter parrino.
preliminary draft: emiliano cinelli, fabrizio fasano, andrea cioffi, abel ferro, ennio rigamonti
project and DL: studio tamassociati + sebastian crescini

completed: 2010