Magdi Yacoub Rwanda Heart Centre

Construction of the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation’s heart centre in Kigali, Rwanda. The layout of the Rwanda Heart Centre includes 3 medical buildings that will house 2 operating theaters, 2 catheter laboratories, research facilities, an imaging center, including MRI and radiology, progressive care, ICU, in and outpatient facilities as well as a pain clinic, staff canteen, laundry and the central sterile department. The design proposes a series of passive design systems for a tropical hospital environment: the roof of the surgical ward acts as the building’s battery, providing sufficient area for the installation of solar panels. Double skinned vaulted roofs with high solar reflective index allow for passive ventilation, reducing the carbon footprint of the building. For the non -acute areas, natural convection is used to produce a breeze that simulates air conditioning. High thermal mass materials absorb excess heat, reducing peak temperatures and at the same time act as acoustic barriers during the rainy season. North – South orientation, roof overhangs and self-shaded massing reduce cooling demand. A central spine and main circulation act as the main drainage for storm water during the rainy season, taking full advantage of the sloping site. The construction of the hospital uses traditional materials and aims to deliver therapeutic and ecologically balanced design solutions in a tropical environment. The GPS marker has been placed in the town of Kigali, the coordinates are -1.9440727, 30.0618851