John McAslan + Partners has been selected to design a new dental teaching facility and student hub at the University of Malawi College of Medicine in Blantyre, Malawi. The design programme is being delivered as part of the Scottish Government funded Malawi Dental School & Integrated Teaching Facility, a collaboration between the University of Glasgow and University of Malawi College of Medicine to improve oral health and access to dental care for the citizens of Malawi.
Jeremy Bagg, Head of the University of Glasgow Dental School and Scottish Lead for the Malawi Dental School & Integrated Teaching Facility comments “All members of the project team are delighted that the design of the new dental teaching facility on the Blantyre campus of the College of Medicine is being taken forward by John McAslan + Partners. The design team that has been assembled has a wealth of experience working in Africa and we are very excited about this next stage of the journey to improving oral health care for the people of Malawi.”
The building will house the new Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree programme that was introduced at the University in August last year. The new facility will provide the opportunity to create an integrated building providing much needed specialist clinical and teaching facilities such as open plan group clinical bays, research laboratories and minor operation theatres for the Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree and the people of Blantyre. Shared Learning Resource and general teaching spaces will also be organised around a central student hub. Intended to lead the way in sustainable design, the facility will incorporate passive design principles, highly efficient systems and locally sourced materials where possible.
Funding for the project’s initial stages is being provided by the Scottish Government, with additional funding for development and construction stages being sought from external sources.
Paul East, who heads up John McAslan + Partners’ Edinburgh Office comments: “We are looking forward to working on this significant healthcare project which we are hoping will create a forward-looking exemplar for the College of Medicine campus ” John McAslan, Executive Chairman adds: “John McAslan + Partners is thrilled to be appointed for this commission to provide greatly improved dental care in Malawi. This project continues our engagement in Malawi which began with our partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative and the Malawi Ministry of Education to create flexible, zero-energy classroom buildings for rural schoolchildren in Malawi.”
To find out more information about John McAslan + Partners and other projects, visit www.mcaslan.co.uk