The design of an infectious disease centre of excellence for the study of infectious diseases at Livingstone Hospital, Gqeberha

The COVID-19 virus showed the world how under-prepared it was to cope with a pandemic. It also raised an awareness in the world that a highly communicable disease can begin anywhere, and without proper monitoring and reporting can spread to become a global pandemic. The South African Health Department has been under significant stress and on the brink of collapse during the successive waves of the pandemic due to the lack of healthcare workers, medical doctors, infectious disease specialists and epidemiologists as well inadequate medical and clinical infrastructure. The infectious disease specialty in South Africa is also in crisis, prompting the Infectious Disease Society of South Africa to plead with the Health Department and universities to fund projects that support learning and research into infectious diseases, virology, and epidemiology. This project proposes the design of an Infectious Disease Centre of Excellence for the Study of Infectious Diseases at Livingstone Hospital, Gqeberha which focuses on the research, teaching and learning, and healing of infectious diseases in a ho listic building design incorporating biosafety research laboratories, an infectious disease ward and a centre of excellence. The methodology used was to research existing precedent studies that are focused on the research, teaching and learning, and healing of infectious diseases as well as researching a theoretical framework based on holism and systemic architec ture. This theoretical framework, coupled with a careful analysis of the relation ship of each highly specialised space with the other space components leads to the design of an Infectious Disease Centre of Excellence for the Study of Infectious Diseases which responds to the urgent need expressed above as well as providing a design which promotes the well-being of all users. The facility also enhances the Livingstone Hospital precinct. Key Words: Infectious Diseases, Laboratory, Ward, Centre of Excellence, Bio-Safe ty, Holism, Systemic.Thesis (MArch) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Architecture, 202