Being below sea level, the existing hospital’s 4-acre site flooded frequently, and its scattered buildings were dilapidated. Instead of being restored, which the architect demonstrated would be neither cost-effective nor technically feasible, they are being demolished and replaced in phases that allow the hospital to continue to function. The first phase has replaced a few run-down staff villas with a new block housing emergency and outpatient services, diagnostic testing and imaging, operating theatres, and intensive care. Crucially, the ground was raised 90 centimetres above street level and reinforced with granular anchor piles. The block’s concrete structure is seismic-resistant. External walls are breezeblock outside and hollow brick inside, with ventilated void between. The street-facing elevation features low-relief cement panels bearing Kufic motifs of the 18th-century blessing "Barakat Mohammed". Later phases will see the pre-existing medical building demolished to make way for functions including maternity and pediatrics plus accommodation for 240 patients.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
