ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Above left: An aerial view of the new centre from August this year.
Above right: As this CGI shows, CREATOR’s ‘Far View’ roof terrace has an unequalled view of Mount Soche and all the Blantyre hills, and has been designed ‘as a space for celebration and reflection’.
research portfolio has expanded. MLW has hosted high impact research trials on tuberculosis, HIV, pneumonia treatments, maternal and child health, and vaccine policy. The first research projects will begin in the CREATOR building later this year.
The architectural design of the CREATOR building ‘combines a modern scientific and welcoming aesthetic, with high technical performance specifications and longevity’.
Understanding the complexities The CREATOR project was launched in 2019. Architecture practice, Cassidy + Ashton, based in Preston in the North West of England, worked on the initial design stages for the centre, along with Manchester-headquartered structural engineering specialist, TRP Consulting. Chris Taylor, director at Cassidy + Ashton, a multidisciplinary practice of chartered architects, building surveyors, and town planners, was the lead conceptual architect. In those early stages he undertook a fact-finding mission to the proposed site of CREATOR as part of his work on the project. He says: “From initially visiting the site in Malawi and understanding the complexities of the location and the end-user’s objectives, our strategy was to develop the design in the UK, and then hand over the project to a local multidisciplinary practice. “The initial design involved careful consideration of available materials in the area, and local building methods and regulations.” Chris Taylor explains that the aim throughout the design process was to create a meeting place of like-minded professionals in clinical research and training. A ‘circular element’ was
a key factor in that initial design work. That reflected the vision of Professor Stephen Gordon, Professor of Respiratory Medicine at LSTM, to create a building reflecting inclusion and no hierarchy.
Circular design was adopted as an inclusive concept throughout the building, which even included round tables for the boardrooms. TRP Consulting worked alongside on the structural development of the project. Its structural engineers have a strong track record in delivering large and complex building works, and have widespread expertise in
58 Health Estate Journal November 2024
sectors ranging from health to sports stadia development. Following that initial design work, FBW Group, which has offices in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda, was appointed to lead the African design and technical team to take the project forward on the ground. It has been delivering medical projects across East
Africa since it was founded more than 25 years ago, including clinics and hospitals serving remote rural areas – developments that have made a real difference to people’s health and lives. The multidisciplinary architecture and engineering consultancy’s initial work on CREATOR involved undertaking surveys on the proposed site of the facility to assist in the preliminary design process. FBW went on to create and deliver the technical designs for the development, and provided technical oversight throughout the successful delivery of the project. Its services on the project included architecture, structural and civil engineering, and MEP engineering, including the preparation of construction packages, tendering, and technical oversight during construction.
A learning environment The Training Open Resource on the ground floor of the CREATOR building has been designed as as a space for teaching and working, with open access to training resources suitable for future leaders. The second floor of CREATOR houses its Postgraduate Resource Centre, with 24/7 access that will allow for self-learning to a high degree made possible by a modern digital library. The second and third floors have been created as research offices designed to promote clinical research excellence. Advanced epidemiology and large clinical trial support will be accommodated in open plan offices. Single-cell transcriptomics, modern imaging, and rapid
pathogen sequencing, will be accommodated in the fourth-floor laboratory. The orientation of the building, facing south, has been optimised for minimal midday heating, and the air-conditioning system designed for the building is both intelligent and environmentally sensitive. CREATOR’s ‘Training Open Resource’ is a fully accessible, versatile space for small, interactive specialist training courses. Here there are training rooms, a webinar theatre for hybrid teaching, electronic poster display areas, and many small breakout spaces. The building houses the first postgraduate medical library in Malawi, which offers peaceful secure study space with reliable internet at all hours and days of the week. Meeting rooms are located nearby, with quiet reading spaces and internet-enabled terminals, with networked printers and templates for papers, theses, posters, and talks. In easy reach of the wards, and with an inspiring view
of the hills, and with internet calling pods for quiet online conversation, the aim has been to create a first-class learning environment for postgraduate trainees and their mentors.
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