The Butaro Hospital in Rwanda was praised as innovative and cost-efficient by the Zumtobel Award 2012 jury, ultimately winning in the category of "Built Environment." Over 230 projects were submitted in for the 2012 Zumtobel Group Award in this category. Entries were received from 22 nations while the projects themselves spanned some 30 countries.

The Butaro Hospital in Rwanda was praised as an “innovative [and] cost-efficient [in] technology and design strategy in the category "Built Environment." Over 230 projects were submitted in for the 2012 Zumtobel Group Award in this category. Entries were received from 22 nations while the projects themselves spanned some 30 countries.

The Butaro Hospital is built in the Burera District, which was one of the last two districts in Rwanda to receive a district hospital. The hospital now serves a population of over 400,000 people. Innovative design developed in collaboration with infectious disease specialists from Partners in Health and the Harvard Medical School sought to mitigate and reduce the transmission of airborne disease through several systems, including overall layout, patient and staff flow, and natural cross-ventilation.

The Zumtobel jury panel remarks, "The [Butaro] project has a high relevance, since it can be applied as a solution to similar regions with limited opportunities and high risks of infection. [...] Also remarkable is the excellent quality of the buildings that were built exclusively with local workers.”

The award in this category is endowed with 80,000 EUR.

MASS Design Group is a 501(c)(3) pending, not-for-profit firm, which currently operates under the fiscal sponsorship of Partners In Health. MASS Design Group (MASS) designs, builds, and advocates for buildings that improve health and strengthen communities.

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