Monthly Archives: November 2014

As Inspiration for this project, we found a design competition, Architecture for Humanity, that had the purpose to build a mobile health clinic.  The winner of the competition was KHRAS, a danish architecture company located in Copenhagen. By using a container they made a clinic that could be used in several different ways, both as a large clinic and a small and simple clinic and there could be used several containers.

“In Africa, especially in remote areas, you don’t just get a spare part from down the road. So instead of one solution we wanted to come up with a system”

Other proposals for the competition:

AFH Founders Award: Gaston Tolila and Nicholas Gilliland, Paris, France

By extending the structure with tents, they have made the usage space bigger.

Honorable Mention: Robert Johnson, Los Angeles: 

On this structure they have also used tents to make a bigger floor space.

ArchNewsNow (02.12.2002) Downloaded 11.11.2014 from:  http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/Feature91.htm

Csinclair (unknown) Downloaded 11.11.2014 from: http://csinclair.readyhosting.com/programs/africa/finalists.html

Work on modelling the Curie modules started today as test models went from paper to a scale reality.

A concept design for a modular box that will be used for any medical activity that has to be within a closed area went from a paper idea into the modelling phase. Using foam board, wooden dowels and glue. A 1:20 scale model of the box was made.

Preparations started well. Whilst in construction ,alterations had to be made so that every part would work together with its partnering piece.

Even with these alterations and the concept model working. More ideas came later of how the Curie box could work smoothly

For the roof structure we tried out different types by building models. We started with a simple triangle structure which is very stable. The second one we built, was with a gap between the two parts of the tent to make natural ventilation inside the tent.

For the third model, we mixed different aspects of the two former models. We chose the triangle structure from the first and the natural ventilation from the second.

This created both a stable structure and a structure with natural ventilation.

The next step is to make a model by using thinner string, and having real tension, so that we can see how the structure will react.

 – Ine Ringlund

To make a health clinic that will work in real life, we had to figure out where to place the different components. Both where it needs to be placed  in relation to each other and where to place them to be best able to prevent spreading of the disease.

What needs to be included in the clinic: 

Triage, High-risk patient area, low-risk patient area , showers, toilets, pharmacy, foot baths, morgue, convalescence area, de-sanitation area and kitchen. 

Staff member areas: 

De-sanitation area, changing area, kitchen, toilets, showers, risk area exit, risk area entrance, Storage area, meeting room, office space and relaxation area.

We have also started making a models, of our folded rooms. The main rooms, that needs to be totally enclosed, will be made by having a box that can fold out and make a big room. The boxes will fit inside the container, and will take up a small amount of space as possible.

The boxes have been named the curie box, after our group name.

The next step was to think about the extensions from the curie box. The idea is to use a tent structure, that is both light and easy to store inside the container. And by using a triangle structure with wire in the roof, it will be structurally stable and strong.

– Ine Ringlund