PROJECTVIEW
EZULWINI REFERRAL HOSPITAL, ESWATINI
As the healthcare environment develops and progresses, so does the primary need
for access to quality healthcare grow, both in South Africa and abroad. South Africa, and
the rest of Africa, are still disproportionally misplaced in terms of bed-to-patient ratio
and the ease of accessibility to both primary and specialised healthcare. The landlocked
neighbouring Kingdom of Eswatini is no stranger to the issues that we share within the
healthcare sphere and the provision of quality healthcare to the community.
Being the largest medical aid service provider in the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Swaziland
Medical Aid Fund responded to the need for quality healthcare by inviting the Clinix Health
Group to bring their knowledge of the industry and their technical expertise, and put it
to use in a cross-border transaction that would see the biggest private hospital being
built in the Kingdom of Eswatini.
The brief was simple; develop a hospital facility that could best serve the Kingdom in
an efficient way, whilst limiting the need for cross-border movement for residents seeking
medical attention. The infrastructure needed to provide for somewhat of an all-rounded
service offering; which meant that the design team needed to come up with flexible,
innovative and cost-effective ways of using every resource with diligence and care.
Nestled comfortably along a stretch of road that has become known as a development
hub in the Kingdom, the hospital site lends itself to extraordinary views of the Ezulwini
valley, taking in unprecedented scenes from all sides. The design team took advantage of
the location and created a building with an unmatched tension with nature; and through
it, created a healing environment unlike any other.
The project team, led by Clinix Health Group’s Projects department; is a combination
of South African lead consultants, with partnering Swazi counterparts - a marriage which
has proven to be a beneficial joint venture in executing a well-rounded project that is
technically sound, whilst still being localised.
David Couto, the lead designer from TAG ARCHITECTS in Johannesburg, describes
the project as one that will be both an architectural marker in the landscape as well as a
unique healthcare machine that is able to serve its patrons efficiently.
The projected started in 2019 and because of the essential nature of it, the construction
of the project was given a special dispensation by the authorities to continue during
the COVID lockdown. The commissioning process will start towards the end of 2020.
ATTERBURY DÉCOR
CENTRE, PRETORIA
Atterbury Décor Centre, situated
in Faerie Glen in Pretoria, is an
existing centre that was in a
desperate need of an upgrade. The
centre is in a prime location on
Atterbury Road but was lacking the
presence to become a destination.
The client’s brief was to take the
centre from something ordinary
to a centre that channelled a Dubai
street – playing with heights,
textures and boxes. The existing
free standing building in front
of the centre was demolished to
make way for a new basement
and parking deck. The U-shape
design of the ground floor was
also modified to make way for
a larger building footprint and
larger shopfronts to allow for
bigger exposure for tenants. The
raising of the façade on the corner
of Atterbury and Windsor road
becomes the link of the lower
and upper levels, and creates a
prominent feature for the centre.
A light steel frame system has
been used to replace and lift the
façades and accommodate the
new mono pitch roof. Materiality
played an important role in the
design concept. Different materials
are used along the various façades
to create points of focus within
the centre. The project is defined
by dark steel and timber and is
softened with natural landscaping.
Due to the shifting economic
climate of South Africa, the centre
will now be rebranded to become
Atterbury Lifestyle Centre. This
opens up the doors for a wider
variety of tenants. Estimated date
for the completion of phase 1 is the
end of October, following which
phase 2 and 3 will commence to
be completed in 2021.
Developer: K. Carim Group
Architect: PKA International
Project Watch 17