A renovated eye hospital in southeastern Nigeria is redefining climate-smart design, showcasing how architects can create more comfortable buildings that require less electricity to run. The Eye Specialist Hospital, located in Nsukka, has been transformed into a modern healthcare space that utilizes natural light, ventilation, and nature to provide a welcoming environment for patients. The hospital's design is a significant departure from the traditional stuffy, low-ceilinged boxes common in modern Nigerian healthcare spaces.
The designer behind the hospital's transformation is Crystal Kizor, an architect, interior designer, and founder of Studio COKA. Kizor's approach to design focuses on creating spaces that stay cool naturally, use daylight, and feel like home. Her work is part of a growing trend among West African designers who are questioning the reliance on hot, energy-hungry Western building styles. In a country where electricity is unpredictable, and cities are growing hotter, Kizor's design offers a clear answer.
The hospital's design features a high, curved translucent roof that allows natural light to pour in, reducing the need for artificial lighting. The building's central hall has metal waiting chairs beneath the curved roof, and wide, open windows that allow for natural ventilation. The outdoor waiting area is surrounded by palms, flowering shrubs, and trees, creating a garden-like atmosphere that feels more like a cafe than a hospital. Professor Nkiru Kizor-Akaraiwe, an eye surgeon who started the clinic, was thrilled with the design, saying it was a huge change from traditional hospital spaces.
Nsukka remains warm for most of the year, with measurements at a local climate-observation station recording maximum air temperatures above 36°C during the dry season. Even in the wet season, monthly maximums were around 30°C. The hospital's location in a university town meant that it needed to be designed with the local climate in mind. Kizor's design approach took into account the local climate, using orientation, windows, roofs, shading, and vegetation to reduce the need for artificial cooling.
The hospital grew from an unmet need for specialist eye care in Nsukka. Professor Kizor-Akaraiwe initially operated in Enugu but noticed that patients were traveling from Nsukka for treatment. Despite Nsukka's size and status as a university town, it had no resident ophthalmologist. The hospital initially operated on the outskirts before its founders found an old building on University Road, closer to the university and residents. Crystal Kizor believed that the old residential structure could be retained and transformed into a modern healthcare space.
The need for buildings that remain comfortable without continuous air conditioning extends far beyond the hospital. Sustainable Energy for All estimates that 114.9 million Nigerians, 53% of the population, are at high risk due to high temperatures and inadequate access to cooling. Architects such as Festus Adibe, who specializes in passive design, agree that orientation, windows, roofs, shading, and vegetation can reduce the need for artificial cooling. Adibe notes that if done correctly, ventilation can be achieved without the need for air conditioning.
The hospital's design has attracted attention from the surrounding community, with some people visiting simply to admire the building. The central location may also have contributed to its popularity, as the previous premises received fewer visits. Research has shown that surroundings can affect patients, with a 1984 study finding that surgical patients with views of nature had shorter postoperative stays and used fewer doses of strong pain medication. The hospital's design is a step towards creating more sustainable and comfortable buildings in Nigeria.
Key points
- The hospital's design uses natural light, ventilation, and nature to create a comfortable building that requires less electricity.
- The design approach can be applied to other buildings in Nigeria to reduce the need for artificial cooling.
- The hospital's transformation is part of a growing trend among West African designers to create sustainable and comfortable buildings.
