White physical model of a gabled clinic with wrap-around verandah and clerestory slot, on a raised plinth in blank field.

Rural Health Center Prototype

What could a modular health center do for rural communities?

Health centers are the backbone of a comprehensive healthcare system for rural communities without convenient access to large hospitals. A health center provides a suite of routine health services—including preventive care, immunization, minor assistance, and newborn and reproductive care—enhancing access to services in rural areas and reducing the burden on regional hospitals. Our rural health center prototype provides a modular framework, informed by parametric design, that can offer a range of health services and be flexibly adapted to respond to emergencies. The design creates a foundation for distributive networks of care, ensuring services can be scaled and shared across multiple sites to maximize reach and equity. At its core, the prototype promotes principles of regenerative health, improving the long-term wellness of communities and their environments.

Oblique view of long gabled clinic model showing roof skylight, glazed colonnade, and elevated platform casting blue shadow.
Rural Health Center Prototype

Location
Various, Various

Research Areas
Regenerative Health

Typology
Civic Building

Size
Small
830 SQF

Status
Complete

Project Team
Carlos Arnaiz
Alden Ching
Gaby San Roman

We consider each project on its own terms and develop tailored responses. Learn about our vision and mission.

A bold heading for something important about this project
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Modular design: use-flexible and adaptable over time
The flexible prototype can support a range of healthcare uses while still maintaining separations that prevent cross-contamination. Highly adaptable, it can be deployed as a quarantine shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic and later retrofitted to offer routine health services. This reduces the need to build new facilities from the ground up, supporting sustainable development aligned with regenerative health outcomes.

Two section diagrams showing cross-ventilation, stack effect, and shaded corridors for a naturally cooled clinic.
Rural Health Center Prototype

Our approach is strategically driven and informed. Click here to learn about our process.

Distributive networks of care
The modular prototype can be implemented across a network of rural sites, creating an interconnected system of care where resources, services, and expertise are distributed equitably across communities.

Three color-coded floor plans comparing quarantine shelter, small clinic, and large clinic with doctor/patient flows.
Rural Health Center Prototype

Simple, feasible structure
The design optimizes for quick construction, using readily available materials and a modular structure that can be built with local labor and skill. Temporary wall systems allow the interiors to be reconfigured as needed, ensuring each health center can evolve with the needs of its community.