The Institute of Health Sciences Molepolole completed
Overview on the scope of works
The site is intended for housing staff, the students’ accommodation (hostels), the academic buildings, sports and recreational facilities, roads and all associated external works and services.
The campus is designed around a number of spaces, and is to accommodate 350 full-time students who will reside on the premises; complete with 40 staff houses which are expected to double to 80 in the future.
The site occupies an estimated total area of 15 hectares, with the academic facilities taking up 25000m² and the staff houses (accommodation) 3000m². Some academic facilities found on this campus include laboratories, library, kitchen and cafeteria, multi-purpose hall, computer rooms equipped with air conditioning and electronic fittings among other specialised equipment.
Student accommodation is also part of this phase including external sporting facilities for football, softball and basket/volleyball.
The landscaping is also important because it acknowledges the surrounding veld.Works on the new Institute of Health Science started on 3rd September 2007 with completions of the main buildings expected in September 2009. This P167. 5 million (25 million USD) project is located in Molepolole, approximately 55 kilometres from Botswana’s capital, Gaborone.
Building Design
The building is designed to express its internal function. Adequate access for the disabled is provided. For instance, there are lifts in the library and another accessing the common raised walkway; and all hostels for the physically disabled are located on the ground floor.
Building systems are interfaced through the provision of riser ducts for services and a services tunnel linking all the buildings.
Strong consideration of environmental design was part of value-engineering, as most of the buildings are oriented such that the longest elevations are in the East-West direction to minimise heat gain as well as reduce reliance on mechanical ventilation of the buildings.
Remarkable features
The design represents a notion of the traditional organisation of building and space in that the ceremonial square comprising of the featured buildings of the library block, auditorium, administrative building and the main academic/teaching blocks which form the nerve-centre of the complex, or simply put – it is designed to mimic the traditional kgotla space.
The use of materials is impressive. Landscaping and corresponding building materials in brick, granite and gamma-zenith finishes will be the complementary components to complete the physical experience of the design in the ceremonial space.
Future Expansion
Provision for future expansion has also been made. Future growth in accommodation is possible horizontally, as there is still space left south of the hostel blocks. An extra measure could be for the kitchen and cafeteria to serve over a longer period to cope with the increase in student numbers.
Project Team
Client:
- User - Ministry of Health
- Institute of Health Sciences (Molepolole)
- Technical Representative - Ministry of Works & Transport
- Management by Department of Building and Engineering Services (Project Implementation Division, Health Unit)
Consultants:
Architects - Mosienyane & Partners International (Pty) Ltd
Quantity Surveyors - Mwitumwa & Associates (Pty) Ltd
Civil & Structural Engineers - Arup Botswana (Limited) Consulting Engineers
Electrical Engineers - EMC Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Mechanical Engineers - KVN Associates (Pty) Ltd
Main Contractor - Caitec Botswana (Pty) Ltd
