DR-Hospital
The Hospital is located in the city of Dessie, 2600 meters high, in the northern highlands of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. In the centre of the city with 250.000 inhabitants it has a big compound of approximately 32.000 square meters. The catchment area of the DR/Hospital is around 7 million people. The people come from the north/eastern part of Ethiopia an consist mainly of Oromo, Afar and Amhara people. A market held once a week on Monday where the three ethnic groups meet each other to exchange their goods is good example how the different groups interact with each other. The Afar sell meat, the Oromo fabrics and the Amhara people sell grains like the indigenous Teff. Especially for the semi/nomadic Afar people this is a very important hospital. The Muslim founded Afar people have a long tradition and keep themselves normally quite on them selves and preserve their cultural inheritance very well. The Afar people come from over hundreds of kilometres, walking or on their horses, to visit the hospital. It was in 1942 that the first modern hospital was built around ´Kukura´ in Dessie Town. It was built from wood and it had been giving major and minor medical services for patients who come from Wollo Region[1] and other neighbouring zones and districts. The hospital was identified below standard when compared to the population size it has been serving and the quality of services being given. In 1962 new buildings and renovations were made in collaboration with the African and American Governments. A significant growth of the Hospital had been made in 1977 when the initiative to built a children’s hospital in side the compound raised. Because of several renewals the Hospital consist of several organic-chaotic grown volumes which are scattered around the compound. This results in the fact that there is no hierarchy, no zoning in public and private and no clear defined spaces. Location-situationFrom the current complex 90% can be demolished for the new Masterplan. Only the historical hospital building must be preserved but can get an other function.
[1] The local province