April 1st, 2010

We are thrilled to report that our firm has been hired by Village Health Works to design their new 20, 000 square foot Women’s Health Pavilion in Kigutu, a rural village located in Burundi, East Africa. The building will be the newest addition to their campus of health facilities that address the societal needs of a community that is actively rebuilding after many years of enduring the strife of internal warfare.

The program for the pavilion consists of a full surgical suite, delivery rooms, inpatient facilities, outpatient facilities, nursery, a multipurpose educational library and ancillary administrative spaces. The site, which is quite rural, is totally off the electrical grid. Consequently, it will require 100 % solar power with an emergency backup generation system to energize the clinic.

Village Health Works is a collaborative effort between the population of Kigutu, its neighboring villages and people in the United States. Founded by Deogratias (Deo) Niyizonkiza, whose life story has been chronicled in Tracy Kidder’s latest book, Strength in What Remains, this remarkable organization aims to make a critical dent in the advancement of the Kigutu community as well as serve as a model for development for the entire country.