From temporary ICU’s to 3D printed visors and an instant virus hotel: Dutch architecture firms respond, just like many of their international colleagues, to the current corona crisis. The Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (BNA) and WDCD team up to list the initiatives that show the resilience, improvisation skills and adaptability of the architectural trade.
Temporary ICU’s
Architecture studio Gortemaker Algra Feenstra collaborated with Interflow, a specialist in prefab and modular building, on a plan to quickly realize temporary Intensive Care Units to help prevent a shortage of IC beds. The design creates space for 10 beds per unit and allows an easy scale up in order to respond to the growing number of patients. Units can be put in empty sports or event halls and could be built from scratch in three to four weeks. The initiators still seek collaboration with care providers, medical equipment suppliers and other interested parties.
The Vital House
To cope with the fast-growing number of corona patients, Studio Prototype designed the Vital House, a healthcare facility that is especially designed to deal with virus-induced diseases. Using prefab units, the Vital House is easy to build up and take down whenever and wherever it’s needed. The design includes a special communication room where patients can meet their visitors while being in isolation.
3D Printing supplies
Two creatives in The Hague, Jarno Burger, and Tanja Busking, decided to mobilize the local 3D printing community to produce 3D printed visors for care professionals in the region who need protection against the COVID-19 virus. Mies Architectuur happily agreed to put its Ultimaker printer to work for the project too, which the initiators baptized ‘Schone Bakkes’ or Clean Face.
Thoughts on the future of healthcare
While direct action is needed now to cope with the corona virus, Wiegerinck Architecture, an architecture firm in Arnhem and Kleve specialized in healthcare, argues that in time we will have to think about ways to further improve our health care system. In an interview with Architectenweb (in Dutch), Jarno Nillesen, partner at Wiegerinck, points out six questions that should be discussed. These include quantity issues, the idea of adding very local and small-scale hospital facilities to the system as well as hospital at home solutions.
Share your projects
The Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (BNA) and WDCD will continue to scout ideas and projects by architects that in any way will help society to overcome the current and possibly future pandemics. Please share your existing and new projects with us by sending a mail to corona@whatdesigncando.com.