The Wanica Health Center had the ambition to become the norm for the entire CARICOM region. The location near the new suburb Wanica and not too far from the international airport Johan Adolf Pengel was therefore well chosen. In addition it could be connected to the planned university. Important in the design was to find the connection with the lifestyle of the local population living largely in small villages in the countryside. There is no big air conditioned hall made. 90%of the Surinamese population lives outside and in homes without air conditioning. For clinical patients there is a logistical route created in the plinth so that they can reach all parts of the hospital covered.
The pavilions are designed in a way that they can , despite the round looking shapes, easily be prefabricated. All patient rooms have a protecting balcony while contact with nature is felt everywhere.

Climate
Designing a hospital in a tropical climate has its challenges which resulted in interesting design solutions. Cooling the building in a sustainable manner was a main challenge. Wide overhangs were used to create shade. Aerodynamic ‘ventec’ roofs were used on the one hand to induce an sucking airflow ventilating the building and on the other hand to capture reusable rain water to assist with the cooling of the building. In addition the PV-panels on the roofs supply a part of the necessary electricity.
The building is functionally split into 3 climatic zones. High-tech functions absolutely requiring air conditioning are situated in the plinth. Spaces around form a second zone with a higher temperature and using the rest cold of the kernel. Hereby the energy consumption of these air conditioning systems will be minimized. Other functions, where natural ventilation is permitted, are situated in the pavilions.