Building Healthy Spaces
Design Approach
The layout of the Rwanda-Egypt Heart Centre includes three medical buildings. They house two operating theatres, two 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.
Landscaped courtyards, including a herb and kitchen garden, directly feeding into the supply of the staff canteen, offers a sheltered environment for designated patient seating, staff rest, waiting area and informal knowledge transfer.
A tropical courtyard garden forms the heart of the building and is framed by a covered walkway, acting as an outdoor cardiac rehabilitation track – connecting the majority of all medical departments on one level.
All inpatient rooms provide access to an outdoor area and views towards a valley, aiming to mitigate stress and the speeding up of patient recovery time.
The building is designed to promote infection control and to reduce the transmission of airborne disease through various innovative systems, including its overall layout, flow of staff, patients and visitors and natural cross-ventilation.
The design of the Rwanda-Egypt Heart Centre prioritises health, wellbeing, and environmental sustainability. Passive design features, promote natural ventilation and minimise energy demand.
By integrating therapeutic gardens and natural vistas, the hospital fosters calmer, more restorative settings that support patient recovery, improve mood, and enhance wellbeing for patients, staff and visitors alike.
“Research shows that patients with views of natural green spaces often experience shorter hospital stays and reduced pain medication use compared with those without nature views, demonstrating the restorative power of the natural environment.”
Source: Centre for Construction Best Practice
Environmental Sustainability
Sustainability is seen as a holistic process, aiming to restore and maintain harmony between the natural and built environment and to create a centre that affirms human dignity whilst respecting the planet.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 Rwanda-Egypt Heart Centre is committed to environmental sustainability in its hospital construction, working closely with Orascom Construction.
The project has met national green building standards and is pursuing LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to recognise its environmentally friendly design and construction.
Water conservation is a key focus, with measures including low-flow fixtures, rainwater harvesting, stormwater drainage systems, and water-efficient landscaping to minimise water use and promote long-term sustainability.
The Rwanda-Egypt Heart Centre is committed to promoting sustainable healthcare through the planned installation of solar energy systems. This initiative forms part of the Centre’s long-term Net Zero strategy and aims to reduce carbon emissions while improving energy resilience and operational sustainability. The project is being developed in accordance with international Green Hospital sustainability principles and in alignment with the environmental priorities of the Government of Rwanda.
The Rwanda Heart Care and Foundation Centre is committed to minimise its carbon and environmental footprint.
Click here to download a copy of their Sustainability Report.
