A Community-Rooted Health Center 

A primary care clinic in Alausí, Ecuador, had planned to relocate from its temporary facility to a nearby site. However, in 2023 a devastating landslide destroyed a large portion of Alausí, including the future location of the clinic, leaving it with few options. To support the project, the municipality donated a plot of land in the heart of the historic town to the Ministry of Health, allowing plans for a facility to move forward.

Four organizations came together — HDR’s nonprofit Design 4 Others (D4O), Engineers Without Borders USA, a generous private donor, and Fundación Ingenieros en Acción Ecuador — with Alausí’s Ministry of Health and the municipality to develop a design that would serve the region’s needs and create a space where the community feels welcomed and cared for. Alausí’s rich cultural history was met with a health center that meets their healthcare needs and establishes a space where patients can feel at home, respected and supported. 

Blending Identity and Innovation

The Health Center provides Alausí residents with a range of services, such as dentistry, mental health, obstetrics and general consultation. Located in a historically designated town that commonly features the region’s Spanish colonial style architecture, the team designed a facility that emphasizes the building’s role in the community while also recognizing the local culture, inviting residents to find both comfort and an enhanced level of care. 

Key features include: 

• A vertical community garden that provides space for community members to grow their own medicinal herbs
• An adaptable center lobby that can be used for town meetings and other events on days the clinic is closed
• A butterfly roof that will divert, control and filter the approximately 67 inches of rainwater that accumulate annually in Alausí
• Clerestory windows that allow light to filter through while still prioritizing patient privacy  
• Wall space for a mural, open for local artists to take ownership 

A Beacon of Belonging in Alausí

With an updated and improved infrastructure, supplies and amenities, Alausí’s Health Center is equipped to improve the quality of healthcare in the region. A focus on creating a safe and supportive health resource that is culturally responsive brings a sense of community well-being to Alausí and the surrounding area, serving as a vital resource in maintaining the area’s health and wellness and establishing a healing space that welcomes all. 

Design 4 Others is a philanthropic initiative operated out of HDR’s architecture practice with a mission to positively impact lives by dedicating time and expertise to projects that improve health and well-being around the world. Our HDR design teams work with industry partners toward common goals — to make a difference by providing architecture, engineering and planning services for limited or no compensation. Find out more in the D4O Impact Report.