Urban Architects, Inc., and United Architects, Inc., two Miami based architectural firms, announce that they have designed a series of prototype medical facilities for Haiti. The goal of the project is to create a network of urban and rural hospitals which are hurricane- and earthquake-resistant, easily accessible, economically sustainable and medically appropriate.

The design concept consists of using prefabricated structural components to construct a network of medical facilities of various sizes, that would be located throughout Haiti. Each hospital would have satellite clinics serving nearby neighborhoods and communities. The entire project could be completed in less than five years, with the first hospital being fully- operational in 18 months. All buildings will be designed to use green technologies to achieve an environmentally sustainable network of medical facilities to serve the Haitian people. The project also envisions working with American medical schools to train and support medical and support staff.

The design of the hospitals will consist of a series of pavilions arranged in a campus setting. Each pavilion would contain one or more departments or support functions links by covered open air walkways. Most areas of each hospital would not be air-conditioned but would use natural ventilation supplemented with fans to maintain a comfortable indoor environment.

Funding and other support is being sought from universities, non-profits, USAID, the United Nations and private sources.